Stuttgart – Daimler AG has honored ten suppliers for their outstanding performance in the past financial year with the 2015 Daimler Supplier Award. In front of an audience of around 450 invited guests from the supplier industry, the coveted prizes in the categories of Quality, Partnership and Innovation were awarded at the Mercedes-Benz Branch in Stuttgart for the eighth time. In his welcome address, Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, underscored the special importance of the close collaboration between Daimler and its suppliers: "In the digital era we need a culture that consistently promotes innovation. This is the only way we can make optimal use of the opportunities offered by digitalization. This applies in equal measure for us at Daimler as well as for the partnerships with our suppliers."
With the Daimler Supplier Award, the company honors its suppliers for above-average performance and partnership collaboration in an annual event. Performance is measured in terms of quality, cost, delivery reliability and innovative strength. The partnership between Daimler and its suppliers is based on trust and open communication. That also includes the observance of sustainable business practices, which is intended to create incentives for suppliers to improve on a continuous basis in existing and new markets.
The trophies developed by the Daimler design unit were presented by members of the Daimler Board of Management and the heads of Procurement:
Dr. Dieter Zetsche; Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Member of the Board of Management and Head of Daimler Trucks & Buses; Wilfried Porth, Member of the Board of Management, Human Resources and Director of Labor Relations, IT & Mercedes-Benz Vans; Dr Klaus Zehender, Member of the Divisional Board of Mercedes-Benz Cars responsible for Procurement and Supplier Quality; Dr. Marcus Schoenenberg, Head of Production Materials Procurement Commercial Vehicles, and Dr. Sabine Lutz, Head of Non-Production Materials Procurement.
Professor Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler for Group Development and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, presented the "Special Award" to Preh GmbH for the touch-sensitive Touch Control Buttons in the new E-Class. "User experience and connectivity are coming into an increasingly stronger focus at Mercedes-Benz. With the integration of the innovative touch-button operation in the spokes of the steering wheel, we have set new standards in the new E-Class. To continue bringing innovations that can be experienced by the customers in the vehicles in the future, we need creative and reliable partners like Preh GmbH.“
After thanking the business partners for a very successful year in 2015, Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard expressed confidence in the further expansion of the leading position in trucks and buses: "We are pursuing a clear strategy – and this strategy is taking hold. With respect to new technologies, our global market presence and our intelligent platforms, we will keep up the momentum together with our suppliers in the future as well."
Wilfried Porth thanked the suppliers for their contribution to the success of 2015. He also drew attention to the challenges yet to overcome in order to stay successful together: "In times of digitalization, speed is crucial. Only those who bring innovations to market quickly will persist permanently. For a company, being fast primarily means one thing: networking!”
The winners of the 2015 Daimler Supplier Award in the procurement units of Passenger Cars, Commercial Vehicles, and Non-Production Materials:
Mercedes-Benz Cars Procurement and Supplier Quality
Hyundam Ind. Co., Ltd. (Category: Quality) awarded for top manufacturing standards and excellent processes in the development and production of fuel supply modules and fuel pumps.
Nominated: MA S.r.l.; GERHARDI Kunststofftechnik GmbH
Albert Handtmann Metallgusswerk GmbH & Co. KG (Category: Partnership) awarded for long-standing successful collaboration in the area of die-cast components.
Nominated: Webasto SE; SK Innovation Co., Ltd.
novem car interior design GmbH (Category: Innovation) awarded for cooperative development of innovative trim part surfaces in the interior.
Nominated: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.; Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
Global Procurement Trucks and Buses
Axalta Coating Systems (Category: Quality) awarded for supply with top quality painting materials.
Nominated: Ege Endüstri ve Ticaret A.Ş.; Banner GmbH
ContiTech Mobile Fluid Systems (Category: Partnership) awarded as global and reliable partner in the supply of cables and hoses for the Heavy Duty Platform Engines Program.
Nominated: Tianrun Crankshaft Co., Ltd.; National Engineering Industries Ltd.
IBIDEN Co., Ltd. (Category: Innovation) awarded as technology leader in the product and process development of state-of-the-art diesel particle filters for high-end truck applications.
Nominated: Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH; E-Leather Ltd
International Procurement Services
Gebr. Heller Maschinenfabrik GmbH (Category: Quality) awarded for supporting Daimler for further development and industrialization of the innovative Nanoslide® barrel surface, a thermal injection process which enables a significant reduction in the friction and wear between the piston assembly and the cylinder barrel in the engine.
Nominated: DISPLAY INTERNATIONAL Schwendinger GmbH & Co. KG; Hakuhodo Inc.
Merkley+Partners Inc. (Category: Partnership) awarded for the long-standing partnership implementation of marketing campaigns for Mercedes-Benz in den USA.
Nominated: Drees & Sommer AG; IBM Corporation
KUKA Roboter GmbH (Category: Innovation) awarded for joint development of a certified standard for man-machine interactions in production.
Nominated: Kristl, Seibt & Co. GmbH; diconium GmbH
Special Award
Preh GmbH awarded for the innovative operating concept of touch-sensitive touch control buttons in the multi-functional steering wheel.
