AMPA survey: Canadian suppliers feeling competition from China

A newly released survey of Canadian automotive suppliers has found that most companies view the East Asia auto sector, with the emphasis on China, as both a threat and opportunity, in roughly equal measure. The survey, conducted with the AMPA’s members in the fall of 2004 by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and the Auto Parts Manufacturers’ Association, also found that the business of most suppliers has already been affected by competition from China. Among the survey’s other findings:

>Asian facilities account for only 0.29% of respondent’s auto production

>Asian suppliers account for only 5% of respondents’ input/supply needs

>Asian buyers account for 1.6% of respondents customers

>64% of respondents have been asked by major customers to initiate or expand activities in new geographic markets over the past three years to facilitate their customers’ expansion needs.