In case you missed it, Dowlais Group plc CEO Liam Butterworth recently sat down with the Sunday Times to discuss the EV transition and much more. In the conversation with Jim Armitage, Liam explained how consumer demand for EVs is slowing and the required infrastructure isn't there yet, meaning ICE vehicles will be around for a long time yet. Dowlais components serve the entire automotive market, and as we supply 90% of global OEMs we're in pole position to help the industry manage a more gradual transition. You can read the full piece in Liam's post 👇 #Dowlais #EVTransition
What’s it like running Dowlais Group plc – supplier of drive systems to 90% of the world’s auto manufacturers – during a time of rapid change in the automotive industry? During a recent visit to our GKN Automotive plant in Vigo, Spain, I showed Jim Armitage, The Sunday Times Business Editor, around the facility and talked him through our approach. You can read the full article linked in the comments below 👇 I reiterate points we’ve made before – that the policy framework is making life hard for car manufacturers (OEMs), with really significant implications for the European automotive industry in particular. This begins with inconsistent legislation on Electric Vehicle targets and subsidies, continues with infrastructure challenges, and – as a consequence of all that – ends with a lack of consumer confidence in where the market is heading and when. The upshot of this in Europe is annual vehicle production that’s down by 4 million compared with 2019, which will have a major impact on the bloc’s industrial base. In short, the policy framework faced by global manufacturers is a mess. This means, in my opinion – and that of most other people I speak to in the industry, that ambitious targets for phasing out ICE (internal combustion engines) will be unachievable. The challenge for the industry is to future-proof itself for a transition that will now unfold differently to how many had hoped. At Dowlais we’ve worked hard to make sure we’re in step with events. That means a good balance across hybrid, EV and ICE components as well as what we call ‘agnostic’ systems, which are used in vehicles regardless of their form of propulsion. We’ve also streamlined the business - making our facilities, supply chains, and operations around the world more efficient and fleet of foot than ever before. There have been hard decisions along the way. But, without those, the business would have had an impossible time coping with the more challenging markets of recent years. And, we’re now in good shape to capitalise on the opportunities that lie ahead. You can read the full article linked below – some of my comments were also picked up in The Telegraph which is also linked 👇 #Automotive #Dowlais