According to an annual Supplier Business survey of suppliers, BMW ranks No. 2 in popularity after Toyota for the second consecutive year and before Audi, Mercedes and Honda.
The German premium carmaker also tops the list of companies that, in the views of suppliers, provide a good opportunity to make an acceptable return on investment. Porsche and Audi rank second and third, while General Motors, Renault and Volkswagen (brand) are at the bottom of the list.
BMW has been one of the supplier sector’s favorite manufacturers because it traditionally emphasizes quality and technology over price when sourcing parts. It also typically offers suppliers stable long-term contracts. BMW considers being a preferred partner because of a desire to innovate and involve suppliers in the development process early on.
Other conclusions from the survey are:
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GM Europe still makes the highest demands for lower prices, followed by Renault.
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Toyota continues to have the highest quality requirements, followed by Honda and Mercedes-Benz.
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Toyota is the most popular customer, but the Japanese carmaker ranked near the bottom in its openness to new suppliers.