Reconfiguration of the North American and European auto industries - a study in contrast

Résumé:

The sharp economic downturn that began at the end of 2007 severely impacted the auto industries on both sides of the Atlantic. To what extent has the downturn affected the industry structure in each of the two regions? This paper addresses two main aspects of this question: 1. the evolving assembly footprint and 2. the location of motor vehicle parts suppliers relative to assembly facilities. This paper summarizes changes in industry structure for both North America and Europe.