Competitiveness in Automotive Markets
Leverage strengths and unlock new business opportunities with EFESO
Technological innovations, geopolitical uncertainties, intense global transformations, and competitive pressures are fundamentally reshaping the rules of the automotive industry. Both OEMs and suppliers are facing disruptive developments – which also present new opportunities to future-proof their positioning.
This is especially evident in the transition to alternative drive technologies. While electromobility is considered a key growth driver, market dynamics are evolving more slowly than anticipated. In response, many companies are strategically realigning—balancing investments in new technologies with a temporary return to conventional drivetrains.
Expanding industrial excellence with customer-centric, digital services
Competitiveness also hinges on agility, adaptability, and strategic foresight in other critical areas. Whether in product development, manufacturing, or global supply chain management, success lies in intelligently combining proven processes with future-oriented approaches.
Simultaneously, new competitors—especially from China and the U.S.—are disrupting the market with digital ecosystems, service-driven business models, and data-based customer interfaces. This is shifting the focus of value creation towards software and direct customer engagement.
As vehicles become software-driven platforms – enabling personalized experiences, productivity, and new business models – the implications for maintaining competitiveness are significant: Industrial excellence alone will no longer be sufficient. Instead, the ability to adopt multiple market perspectives is becoming increasingly important – through modular, scalable platforms, digital services, and customer-centric innovations.
EFESO ONCE AGAIN “BEST CONSULTANTS” IN THE SECTOR “AUTOMOTIVE & SUPPLIERS”
For the twelfth time in a row, EFESO Management Consultants has been recognized by brand eins and Statista in the renowned industry study “Best Consultants” (formerly: ROI-EFESO). The respondents confirmed the top position already achieved in previous years in the “Automotive & Suppliers” industry segment of the ranking.
We would like to thank everyone involved for the trust they have placed in us and for all the recommendations that led to us being awarded the “Best Consultants” seal.
READ MORE ›
Unlocking potential across the entire value chain
Identify the right levers to strengthen your company’s competitiveness with EFESO. Count on our industry expertise to deliver fast, measurable, and transparent results. We drive impact across the following key areas:
- Innovation Strategy
Secure technological leadership through the strategic alignment of innovation processes, targeted resource planning, and the use of transparent steering metrics.
- Product Excellence
Make development processes more agile and efficient to respond quickly to market changes and enhance differentiation within the Product portfolio.
- Product Costs
Systematically optimize cost levels to withstand pricing pressure and create room for strategic investments.
- Procurement
Safeguard supply capabilities and margins through resilient sourcing strategies, optimized value streams, and adaptive structures for managing volatile demand.
- Supply Chain Management
Increase stability, transparency, and responsiveness in the supply chain – as a critical foundation for operational strength and customer satisfaction.
- Turnaround and Transformation Programs
Future-proof organizations, safeguard process stability during crises, and eliminate structural performance barriers through targeted transformation efforts.
- Performance programs for the organization
Increase the agility of the company with new working models and a scalable and lean organization.
VISION, UNITY AND COURAGE – A RECOMMENDATION FOR ACTION
The transformation of the German automotive industry is a marathon - not a sprint. In Automobilwoche's “Cockpit Talk”, Jost Kamenik and Dr. Uwe Steinkötter explain how OEMs and suppliers can take advantage of opportunities, play to their strengths and tap into new business areas.
To the Interview ›
Clients
Our solution portfolio for the automotive industry
CASE STUDIES & INSIGHTS - PRACTICAL EXAMPLES
Quality improvement in the automotive industry
CASE STUDY:
Competition like in the Bundesliga: A leading global automobile manufacturer wanted to mobilize and accelerate its entire network of nine factories in terms of costs and quality. With EFESO, the group established a completely new, soccer-inspired practice of competing for a championship lead. The project team thus dynamized rigid factory structures and work routines.
Digital Process Twin: Process optimization through Predictive Quality and Predictive Production
CASE STUDY:
An automotive supplier improved the transparency of work and organizational processes in a production plant for dashboards. With a "Digital Process Twin" from EFESO, the company reduced the reject rate and made improvement potentials in its value creation networks visible.
Lean Transformation: Premium processes instead of fire fighting
CASE STUDY:
In the lean production system of an automobile manufacturer, a premium model with a wide range of variants and vertical integration rolled off the assembly line. But then the new head of production set the goal of introducing two additional series on the same line within just five months. The company used this challenge to realign its production, increasing the volume of manufactured cars by 85%.
Production planning and control
CASE STUDY:
An automotive supplier harmonizes production planning and control in ten factory locations around the world. With EFESO, the company develops a suitable solution concept for a suitable software solution. This enables a standardization of the planning process and thus more flexibility and efficiency. Likewise, a long-term capacity planning of the plant group can be carried out in the new software.
Mega Casting
INSIGHT:
Find out how mega casting can help you achieve strategic production cost advantages and reduce your carbon footprint.
EV Launch Management
INSIGHT:
With EFESO’s integrated EV Launch Management approach, manufacturers can manage the development and market introduction of new vehicle series more securely, efficiently, and profitably – accelerating their path into the electric future.
Car Market Trends: USA
INSIGHT:
Learn more about the US market, upcoming political changes, and a five-step approach to develop a robust, forward-looking strategy.
eV Battery Cell Factory
INSIGHT:
Discover how we successfully plan and execute factory projects using a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach, as demonstrated in an EFESO project for a 5 GWh battery cell factory.
Holistic Profitability Programs Automotive Industry
INSIGHT:
Discover how one Tier-1 supplier is expanding into the fast-growing e-axle sector, closing a profitability gap, and meeting customer-specific design requirements through a best practice project with EFESO.