Chrysler Group and Fiat Award Top-Performing Suppliers at 4th Annual Strategy Meeting and Supplier Awards Event

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Jun 24, 2014, 04:30 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Chrysler and Fiat leadership outline strategy for the future and discuss supply base's role in Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' outlined plans
Eighteen awards presented for extraordinary performance in 2013

Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat S.p.A. executives today met with approximately 3,000 supplier representatives at their 2014 Annual Strategy Meeting and Supplier Awards Ceremony held at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Purchasing leaders Scott Garberding, Head of Group Purchasing, Fiat S.p.A., and Scott Kunselman, Head of Purchasing and Supplier Quality, Chrysler Group discussed the importance of the event's theme "Putting Quality in the Driver's Seat" as well as how the supply base will support Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in the future.

"A thriving, healthy supply base is critical to our ability to support Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' five-year plan," said Garberding. "This event gives us an opportunity to thank our top-performing suppliers for the contributions they make to our successes, to honor extraordinary performance and to strengthen our future collaborations."

Brand leaders including Al Gardner, President and CEO of Chrysler Brand, Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar Brand Service, Parts and Customer Care, Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO of Dodge Brand, SRT Brand & Head of Fleet Operations and Jason Stoicevich, Head of FIAT Brand for North America also spoke to the group, outlining their brand strategies and reinforced the company's plan for strong growth.

"Our supply base manufactures more than 70 percent of the content on our cars and trucks," said Kunselman. "It is critical that they are as focused as we are on creating innovative, high-quality vehicles that our customers want to drive. Our award-winning suppliers have proven themselves to be motivated, capable and excited to be on the Chrysler team."

The 2013 Chrysler Group Supplier of the Year award recipients are:

Quality: Yanfeng USA – Automotive Trim Systems Inc.
Design for Six Sigma – Robert Bosch LLC
Innovation – Sprint Corporation
Tooling Analysis Group – Integrity Tool & Mold Inc.
Sustainability – Williamston Products, Inc.
Diversity Supplier Development – Barton Malow Company
Supply Chain Management – Flex-N-Gate
Logistics – Hapag-Lloyd AG
Technical Cost Reduction – Cummins Inc.
World Class Manufacturing – Pintura y Ensambles de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
Capital Equipment – ChemicoMays
Metallic – Mando Corporation
Powertrain – Cummins Inc.
Electrical – Delphi Automotive PLC
Chemical – Hwaseung Rubber & Automotive Co. Ltd.
MOPAR – Hollingsworth Logistics Group
Services – Syncreon
Emerging Supplier – AGM Automotive, Inc.

Award recipients were determined based on an evaluation of each company's External Balanced Scorecard performance in 2013 – a rating system that evaluates supplier performance in areas such as quality, delivery, cost, warranty and partnership – and input from Chrysler Group senior leadership. Suppliers were able to nominate themselves to receive consideration for the Sustainability and Diversity Supplier Development award categories.

Chrysler Group's Purchasing and Supplier Quality organization has had a renewed focus on supplier relations since 2009. Activities such as regular supplier town hall forums, focused supplier advisory councils and surveys of the supply base have helped the Company foster more positive, mutually beneficial supplier relationships. The Company has also recently instituted programs that enhance collaboration and earlier supplier engagement in vehicle program development, foster supplier innovation, drive implementation of supplier generated ideas to optimize the value of purchased components and has executed many process and system improvements to help suppliers work with the Company more effectively. According to the annual Planning Perspectives survey, the Company has improved working relations with suppliers by an industry-best 51 percent since 2009.

About Chrysler Group LLC
Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat S.p.A., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge SRT, Ram, FIAT and Mopar vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance builds on Chrysler Group's culture of innovation, first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat's complementary technology that dates back to its founding in 1899.

Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., Chrysler Group's product lineup features some of the world's most recognizable vehicles, including the Chrysler 300 and Town & Country, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Dart, Ram 1500, Dodge Viper SRT and Fiat 500. Fiat contributes world-class technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-size cars, allowing Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line including environmentally friendly vehicles.

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