小型供应商：全球化的时代已经到来，你做好准备了吗？

对于小型供应商而言，不断追随汽车厂商或一级供应商的全球化战略绝非易事。为了支持这些行业巨头的产品投放速度，小型供应商必须投入巨大的人力、资源和资金。很多没有意向扩大业务范围或承担更高风险的小型地区性供应商也不得不选择与大型企业结盟，或寻找其他替代方案。

让我们回顾一下几个数字：2016年，全球排名前20的汽车平台，平均年产能为178万辆。IHS Markit分析预计，到2030年，这一数字预计将提高37%，达到243万辆。另外，此类平台通常会在全球至少四个地区开展建设。大浪淘沙，这种压力可绝非凡人可以承受的。

为什么要结盟(consolidation)？目前，全球各大主要市场中排放标准间的差异正在缓慢而步伐坚定地缩小，另外一些“消费者全球化”趋势的出现都是供应商选择结盟的主要原因。具体来说，为了减少零部件差异、降低成本及产品复杂度，汽车厂商开始更倾向于选择单一的供应商来源，而由于汽车厂商在全球不同地区的产品发布时间相隔不远，因此这些供应商也必须在全球多个地区同时进行生产，支持汽车厂商的计划。目前，除了美国地区的全尺寸皮卡外，过去由单一区域性平台完全主导行业的时代早已成为过去。

除了规模化生产带来的效益，全球化的大型供应商还有更多优势。对于汽车厂商和一级供应商而言，系统的集成和优化必不可少，但这肯定会给一些缺少设计能力或生产设施的次级供应商带来沉重负担。当然，你可以选择从一个地区向全球各地出口，但为了降低库存和物流成本，并且在交易中与你的客户采用统一的货币，很多一级和二级供应商开始选择在全球多个地方进行部署。

此外，为了保证立足多个地区的客户能够确保技术领先地位，供应商还必须不断进行研发工作。这种压力甚至可以直接压垮研发设施较少的小型供应商。新材料的出现、电气化的稳步推进、产品保修风险以及行业本身的飞速发展都会给很多公司设置许多障碍。

那么，小型供应商该如何在全球化的冲击下生存呢？在全球市场追随你的客户，会带来沉重的经济负担及更高的风险，你愿意这样做，并且已经做好准备了吗？

事实上，小型供应商还有一些路可以走，但必须要有创造力。第一种选择是与其他地区的同类友商合作，彼此共享技术优势。举了例子，如果一家北美的小型供应商面临着必须向欧洲或亚洲拓展的压力，那亚洲或欧洲也一定有需要向北美推进的公司。虽然结盟过程可能很复杂，通常还必须做出一定牺牲，但多家位于不同地区的区域性供应商完全可以通过建立合作伙伴关系实现全球化部署。这些供应商可以降低自己面临的风险，并在一定程度上保证独立性。在控制风险的前提下保证业务覆盖全球虽然并不容易，但也不是完全不可能。

此外，供应商们还有其他的选择。你的公司在技术和专利/知识产权保护方面有多强？如果你公司的组件/系统具有很强的规模经济性，或者说“物流成本可以接受”，那公司完全也可以选择从单一地点向全球各地发运产品。虽然汇率波动的确是个问题，但客户为了选择最好的产品，可能仍然愿意选择与你们合作。

其他解决方案还包括集中精力，仅专注于一个对公司最理想的区域性平台上。但事实上，这种策略通常没什么好结果。首先，全球供应商并不会因为自己的全球化战略而忽略区域性平台（即仅存在一个地区）的重要性。其次，厂商的采购团队肯定也对市场有一定了解，很有可能利用这点进一步挤压供应商的利润。最后，公司也可能选择直接出售给更大的竞争对手。

毫无疑问，规模较小的区域性供应商的处境日益艰难。科技的进步和全球化的进程都会给小型供应商带来不利影响。谨记，积极主动、抓住机会、开放心态，积极建立区域性合作伙伴关系并积极探索所有新的可性能，这就是小型企业生存下去的关键。

Smaller suppliers: How are you coping with globalization?

It’s a daunting task to follow OEM or Tier-1 customers around the world. Coordinating with their rapid-fire launch cadences requires a significant investment in people, resources and capital. Several smaller, regional suppliers who were not willing to extend their enterprise and increase their exposure to greater risk have opted to consolidate with larger players, or look for alternative approaches.

Let’s consider some context. In 2016, the average volume for the top 20 global vehicle platforms was 1.78 million units. By 2023, this is expected to escalate 37%, to 2.43 million units, with the average platform built in at least four regions around the world, according to IHS Markit Analysis. Swimming in such a swift current is not for the faint of heart.

Why this consolidation? The slow but eventual reduction in the gaps between major-market emission standards and the onset of a “global consumer” are two reasons. As OEMs seek to reduce variability and cost as well as the reduced-complexity benefits of global scale, those suppliers who are sole-sourced on global programs are required to launch facilities in several regions, often with little time between launches. The era of regional platforms dominating the landscape is long gone, excepting the US full-size pickup anomaly.

Outside of the benefits of scale, there are additional drivers that favor large, global suppliers. Systems integration and optimization is a mandate from the OEMs and Tier 1s, but it can present a burden for sub-tier companies which lack broad design and infrastructure capability. Sure, you can export from one location for global markets, but recent initiatives to reduce inventory and logistics costs, while building in a common currency to that of your customer, are driving the co-location of Tier 1 and Tier 2 supply.

Then there’s the constant drumbeat of Research and Development requirements to maintain technical leadership for customers based in multiple regions. Such pressure can tax a smaller, lesser-equipped organization. New materials, the steady rise of electrification, warranty risk and the sheer speed of the industry are proving to be substantial hurdles for many.

How can small suppliers survive the onslaught of the mobility industry’s globalization? Following your customers around the world can tax resources and expand risk—are you willing and prepared to accommodate such activity?

There are solutions and they require creativity. One option is to extend your enterprise with a peer from another region who is facing the same pressures. If a small supplier based in North America is being pressured to expand to Europe or Asia, odds are that there are others in those regions who are under the same gun. While alliances can be complex and usually demand some level of shared sacrifice, several smaller, regional suppliers have expanded successfully to new regions though a partner. They’ve reduced their risk and maintained independence. Maintaining a global contract with a reduced risk profile is tricky though achievable.

There are other alternatives. How strong is your company’s technology and patent/IP protection? Scale economies of your part/system and having a “logistics-friendly” capability may enable you to ship from a single location for the world. While currency exposure is still a concern, building the best mousetrap still attracts core customers.

Other possibilities include focusing only on regional platforms , close to your geographic comfort zone. This strategy usually does not have a happy ending. Firstly, global suppliers are not willing to overlook regional platforms (only built in one region) just because they have a global footprint. Secondly, OEM procurement teams also understand the dynamics of the market and may use this leverage to reduce margins and squeeze suppliers. Lastly, selling to a larger competitor is always a possibility.

No doubt it’s becoming more difficult for small, regional suppliers. The march of technology and increasing global scale are working against this critical group. Being proactive, opportunistic, open-minded to critical regional partnerships and flexible to emerging possibilities, are your keys to survival.

Author: Michael Robinet, Managing Director & IHS Markit
Source: SAE Automotive Engineering Magazine