Automotive manufacturers standardise on Powerway

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 7, 2002

Ford Motor Co and General Motors Corp are to join DaimlerChrysler in using Powerway.com for advanced product quality planning (APQP).

Ford Motor Co and General Motors Corp are to join DaimlerChrysler in using Powerway.com for advanced product quality planning (APQP).

This visionary co-operation by the OEMs in adopting a single solution will enable suppliers around the world to use one standard web-based environment for APQP communication and collaboration with their customers and suppliers, while saving millions of dollars and eliminating potential quality problems before they occur.

Powerway is Covisint's chosen technology provider for communicating advanced quality activities.

Over the next year, Powerway.com will be integrated into Covisint's quality solutions as advanced quality planner.

The solution enables communication and connectivity within the automotive supply chain, organises key APQP information and provides an easy means for sharing quality information and displaying part quality readiness between customers.

This information is critical for successful development and execution of manufacturing processes and quality plans in a thorough and timely fashion.

"Covisint was created to bring the participants of the automotive industry together.

Today's announcement is an illustration of that", said Kevin English, chairman, CEO and president, Covisint.

"When mission critical e-business solutions such as the Covisint/Powerway quality solution can be agreed upon by OEMs, the benefits of common practices can be reaped by the entire automotive community.

Covisint will continue to foster this level of co-operation and collaboration among all its customers".

"Open communication and information sharing is at the centrepiece of DaimlerChrysler's supplier relations strategy, and the Covisint/Powerway solution provides a common environment to manage quality issues", said Gary C Valade, executive vice president, Global Procurement and Supply, DaimlerChrysler AG.

"With almost 70% of our supplier partners currently signed up and using the solution, a path has been blased for all automotive suppliers to reap the benefits of this new quality management standard".

"The joint eAPQP solution through Covisint integrates seamlessly with our portal initiative already underway", said Carlos Massorin, group vice president, Ford Motor Company.

"We look forward to pursuing a new level of quality in our supply base with improved supplier relationships through the use of this collaborative quality tool".

"This solution underscores communication of quality performance data throughout each production process", said Bo Andersson, vice president, Worldwide Purchasing, Production Control and Logistics, General Motors Corporation.

"The advantage to the entire value chain is the rapid communication of important quality information with suppliers to ensure on-time, high-quality engineered products".

"The benefits of adopting a common solution for an industry-wide issue will be shared by both suppliers and OEMs", Powerway CEO Mike Campbell said.

"Powerway's vision is to enable OEMs and suppliers to use a single place for APQP collaboration while, at the same time, providing the flexibility to accommodate each company's competitive advantage and proprietary business processes".