Navigating Product Recalls

Recalls are in the news as much as ever. The number of units recalled in 2014 eclipsed the total from 2010-2013, combined. Takata's recall is expanding to 34 million vehicles as the company enters a Consent Decree with NHTSA. Thus, 2015 will likely exceed 2014. Companies throughout the automotive supply chain face more challenges than ever before in this environment. This is precisely why Crain's Detroit Business recently put together a group of people experienced in this area (including yours truly) to discuss " How automotive suppliers navigate through the many challenges of a product recall."

The group noted that most recalls are small – less than 100,000 vehicles. But that did not stop the fact that suppliers further and further down the supply chain are being implicated and called on to actively participate in the recalls. Suppliers of all levels were further challenged by the globalization of the supply chain. With suppliers spread throughout Europe, Asia,