TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
The automotive industry is undergoing its largest transformation to date. Electrification, autonomous drive, connectivity and digitalization are placing new and challenging demands on organizations. Those who don’t adapt have little chance of survival in this hyper competitive world.
In the world of Technology & Product Development, Fortos combines strategic thinking with hands-on practicality. We work with some of the most successful R&D organizations in the world and have experience from a large number of industries. We develop and implement operational strategies in conjunction with our clients that address the challenges and opportunities of today and tomorrow.
WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU IN THE FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT:
Electromobility
Autonomous Transport Solutions
Supply Chain Resilience
Portfolio Management
Design-to-Value
Strategic Sourcing
Quality Management
Electromobility
We at Fortos are excited about Electromobility. This field represents a greater purpose for all of us since it is the real game changer for sustainable road transportation. Electrification of passenger cars and commercial vehicles is changing the industrial landscape and a new value chain for Electromobility is on the rise.
As an independent advisor with deep expertise and network across the value chain we can make a difference by guiding our clients in how to drive change for an electrified future.
Autonomous Transport Solutions
Autonomous Transport Solutions is an emerging area completely changing views on mobility of people and goods. Tremendous value in terms of efficiency, safety, convenience, and environmental impact can be gained. Thus, there are strong incentives to bring autonomous vehicles to the market.
Fortos, together with our world-leading clients, have built unique competence and network in the field of autonomous transport solutions. We are the independent partner to work with, in all aspects of the transformation journey, from creation of strategies to implementation of autonomous systems.
Supply Chain Resilience
The automotive industry is facing major changes. Market dynamics are changing along with industry transformation from factors such as digitization, electrification and automation. The global covid-19 outbreak has accelerated existing trends and highlighted current vulnerabilities of automotive supply chains. Adapting to the new normal has shifted industry focus towards supply chain resilience.
A resilient supply chain can both resist disruptions and recover quickly when impacted by a disruption. Fortos has developed an assessment for evaluating a supply chain’s resilience and a methodology for increasing the supply chain’s overall resilience.
Portfolio Management
Balance a company’s product portfolio to ensure strategic fit and maximize value:
• Define and analyze customer segments and competitive landscape.
• Analyze the product segment coverage and profitability per product.
• Evaluate current performance and align/prioritize areas to increase output of overall portfolio.
Design-to-Value
Maximize product margin by increasing revenues and decreasing costs:
• Identify cost drivers and define ways to reduce cost.
• Clarify what features the customers value and decide what features to prioritize.
• Develop an implementation roadmap for decreasing cost and increasing customer value.
Strategic Sourcing
Evaluation of purchasing spend to increase savings, increase value and manage risk:
• Evaluate current/future spend and supply markets.
• Develop and quantify improvement ideas.
• Drive development of category strategies and define implementation plan to execute strategy.
• Support in preparing and role-playing fact-based supplier negotiations.
Quality Management
Review of quality-related activities to increase overall customer satisfaction:
• Review of a Q&CS operating model to identify areas of improvement.
• Evaluate and improve current service process to decrease service lead-time.
• Evaluate warranty flow to secure faster response to quality issues.
ARTICLES
Successful Product Development Through Strategic Partnerships
To successfully develop products & services in a fast-developing technological environment, automotive OEM's are gaining new competencies through strategic partnerships.
REFERENCE CASES
Lean Warranty
Excellent product quality is on the very top of the agenda for most companies. High product quality not only results in greater customer satisfaction and stronger brand image, but also increased sales, reduced warranty costs and decreased internal costs for correcting quality issues. A lean warranty material handling process that supports a quick resolution of quality issues is key to minimize the cost of poor quality.
Fortos developed several improvement initiatives to increase the efficiency of the client’s current warranty material handling process.
Value Chain Optimization
A world leading OEM was struggling with high costs for mid-range products made for high growth Asian markets. Several initiatives were ongoing, but there was lack of a consolidated view.
Fortos helped the client take control of the situation, identify gaps in the strategy and set up a program to reach cost saving targets.
Design-to-Value in Early Product Development Phases
Developing a product means dealing with a high degree of uncertainty. In the concept phase, several system & component concepts are developed in parallel and their impact on the final product cost can often be unclear. In collaboration with the client
Fortos supported in the determination of the cost status as well as reaching their challenging cost target.
Securing Compliance by Developing and Implementing a Reporting Tool
New regulatory requirements puts pressure on engine manufacturers reporting on aftermarket engines.
Fortos supported a world leading OEM in both developing and implementing a reporting procedure at 15 different production and warehouse sites in North America and Europe to secure that the new regulatory requirements were met.
Enhanced Product Development Capability through Legal Consolidation
Having a strong product development organization is critical to secure innovative capabilities.
By leading a major consolidation program for one of the largest R&D organizations in the Nordics, Fortos helped the client create a foundation for improved performance, higher ability to innovate and simplified reporting structures.
