General Motor’s head of logistics Susanna Webber talksabout improving supplier relations and how a total enterprise cost approach could help the company understand how to react to future risk and changes in the global supply chain.
Susanna Webber took over as General Motor’s executive director for global logistics at the end of May 2008, not long before the company fell into the most tumultuous era in its history.
Already deep into a decade-long effort to reduce production capacity and fixed costs in North America, and following several years of double-digit billion dollar losses, the subsequent financial crisis led to 18 months of sharp sales declines, a massive restructuring that put about 30% of its remaining US manufacturing capacity on the chop, and of course a US government bailout and bankruptcy.
But what a difference a year (and chapter 11 proceedings) can make, with both sales and profit outlooks dramatically improved. GM’s first quarter $865m gain was its first quarterly profit since 2007.
Despite eliminating Hummer, Saturn and Pontiac, and selling Saab, vehicle deliveries are up 15% in the US compared to the “Old GM” at this point last year, and 45% across its International Operations division, which includes Asia Pacific, Russia, Africa and South America. Despite shedding brands and capacity, GM has maintained its 11.2% global market share.
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