As a major supplier of automotive rubber products, CRGI recently had the pleasure of participating in the Canadian Supplier Day hosted by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VWGoA). The event was held on November 4 and 5 at VWGoA’s Chattanooga, TN facility. Paul Carey, CRGI’s Automotive Sales Manager, reported that the event was both a privilege to attend and great learning experience for CRGI. “Automotive rubber products are a key focus of the CRGI business. We were extremely proud and pleased to be one of only 13 firms out of 30 to be chosen to participate in the event," said Carey. "The event allowed us to better understand VWGoA’s needs and how CRGI might be able to add even more value in our automotive rubber products to VWGoA in the future.”
On the first day of the event, the CRGI team undertook a tour of the Chattanooga production facility. In the evening, the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA), in conjunction with the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario, held a networking opportunity. “The Chattanooga facility is an absolutely state-of-the art production facility. The tour allowed us to see all aspects of VWGoA’s production operations and the means with which they manufacture their excellent products. Through the tour, we were able to see new opportunities for adding value to VWGoA through our automotive rubber products business,” said Carey.
The second day was spent in presentations regarding the VWGoA facility, VWGoA’s accredited University training facility, and future plans for expansion. Suppliers were then given the opportunity to display their products and discuss opportunities with the VW purchasing team. “As a result of the event, CRGI, now has a clear idea of where VWGoA’s will be focusing its efforts on increasing the value-add to its customers,” said Carey. “As a key supplier, this is important information to know as it will allow us to fully support VWGoA as it moves forward.”
CRGI works closely with OEMs and Tier 1-3 suppliers to provide automotive rubber products. CRGI’s automotive rubber products include a full range of services, including: assisting customers with math data and 2D/3D CAD drawings; program management; EDI; bar coding; global logistics management; inventory warehouse management to support JIT delivery; and the provision of all levels of PPAP. Visit CRGI’s automotive page to find out more.