Logistics providers were once again among the 76 recipients of the GM Supplier of the Year awards held at the GM Design Dome in Warren, Michigan last Thursday. ECM (Vehicle Delivery Service), FedEx, Grimaldi, Höegh, K-Line, Ryder and TMS were among those recognised.
“The Supplier of the Year award is always special but those suppliers recognised this year have risen above and beyond the call during one of the most challenging years in GM history,” said Bob Socia, vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. “This is truly a world-class list of suppliers.”
It was Grimaldi’s ninth such award from GM and commenting on the accolade the shipping company’s commercial and logistics director, Costantino Baldissara, told Automotive Logistics News: “We are proud and delighted to have received a such important prize, which is full of meaning, especially after a very difficult year, and it prompts us to further increase our efforts to cooperate with GM.”
The awards are given in recognition of significant contributions of GM’s suppliers in 2009 as part of the company’s global product and performance achievements.
"It's nice to be recognised for the hard work being done, mainly by our offices in the US and Japan, maintaining the service for a long-term customer during a frustrating time for the business," said K-Line Europe's general manager, Peter Menzel.
The Supplier of the Year program started in 1992, and each year a global team of purchasing, engineering, quality, manufacturing and logistics executives determines the winners.
Emergency logistics award for Evolution Time Critical
In other award news Evolution Time Critical has received an award from Frost & Sullivan in recognition of its emergency logistics provision for the automotive industry.
The European Logistics Vertical Market Penetration Leadership Award is presented each year to a company that has demonstrated strong vertical market business growth and a deep understanding of customer needs and excellent performance. It is based on the findings of Frost & Sullivan’s research into best practice among 250,000 companies in over 300 different industries worldwide.
As vehicle production volumes start to increase following the downturn that saw many implement leaner supply chains, carmakers have found themselves relying on urgent shipments for key components, including those from lower-cost countries, in order to keep production lines running.
“We are delighted to be recognised by Frost & Sullivan for our achievements in the emergency logistics sector,” said Evolution Time Critical’s managing director Brad Brennan. “We have experienced a growing demand for our services in the past year as OEMs place a greater emphases on emergency logistics in their contingency planning, and are pleased to be able to support the automotive industry’s return to higher production volumes.”
