Automotive Supply Chains and the Engineering Steel Supplier

Corus Engineering Steels (CES) produces approximately 1.5MTpa of engineering steel, over half of which is consumed by the automotive industry, through its associated supply chains. Two of the most significant drivers in the automotive component sector are weight and through-cost reduction. Forged engineering steels face increasing challenges to their dominant role in the automotive engine, transmission and suspension sectors. Not only are alternative materials and competitive processing routes significant elements of that challenge, but so are the globalisation of the automotive industry and progressive rationalisation of component supply chains. Steel suppliers, forgers and other supply chain players must therefore co-operate effectively if engineering steel components are to meet the automotive industry's through-cost, weight, durability, recyclability and other performance expectations. This paper illustrates how, through working closely with its supply chain, involving forgers, machinists and end users, CES has exploited its materials expertise and the component design expertise of Corus colleagues, to develop innovative and effective solutions to the automotive industry's evolving needs.