Page 47 - MetalForming April 2014
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a very large database to manage because, as soon as you get down a couple of levels, there are tens of thousands of com- panies. The industry has proved that it is extremely resilient and, after some of the recent natural disasters it came togeth- er and was able to come up with solutions either through engineering changes or alternative materials. None of the dis- asters really resulted in any significant loss of production, at least not for the North American OEMs.”
Automotive Supply Chain
A Tier Supplier of Metalformed Parts and Assemblies Weighs In
Wire-form and metal-stamping provider Clips and Clamps has been a Chrysler supplier since inception, in 1954, begin- ning with a host of “simple clips and fourslide parts,” says vice president and general manager Jeff Aznavorian. “Since then we’ve matured into supplying a full portfolio of stampings, assemblies and weldments in various areas of the vehicles, including the chassis and powertrain.”
Clips and Clamps, like other long-term Chrysler suppliers, has been on a “roller coaster” with the OEM, explains Chrysler account manager Mike Olszewski, referring to its relation- ships with Daimler-Benz, Cerberus and now Fiat. “Along the way, we’ve seen a continued focus on improving suppli- er relations, which really came into focus when Dan Knott became senior vice president of purchasing and supplier quality (in 2009). With Dan’s passing in 2012, Scott Kunselman stepped into his ‘big shoes’ and hasn’t missed a beat. The level
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MetalForming/April 2014 45
Chrysler supplier Clips and Clamps supplies these parts for the steering column assembly (left) built by Toledo Machining.
