Geopolitical tensions, volatile commodity markets and fluctuating demand are presenting the German automotive industry with unprecedented challenges. While the industry is undergoing change, strategic supplier management is becoming a decisive success factor for competitiveness.

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Dominik Kleiser (Senior Vice President Corporate Purchasing, KERN LIEBERS), Dr. Thorsten Lützeler (Director Procurement, Beinbauer Group) and Lucas Trümpler (Customer Development, Tacto) discuss in the webinar how automotive suppliers can reposition themselves: Away from reactive crisis management, towards strategic market shaping.

Initial situation - When the tried and tested is no longer enough

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The figures are clear: declining production, volatile raw material prices and export restrictions are affecting an industry that is already in a state of upheaval due to electromobility and digitalization. Traditional purchasing processes are reaching their limits:

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• Dependence on single-source suppliers increases the supply risk in the event of political or logistical shocks
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• Manual maintenance of contracts and conditions in Excel prevents a quick overview of delivery and payment terms
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• Lack of real-time price transparency makes it difficult to pass on raw material fluctuations to customers or suppliers promptly

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For KERN LIEBERS and the Beinbauer Group, this made one thing clear: Procurement must become an active value creator.

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The three dimensions of transformation

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In the short term - security of supply through intelligent diversification
Instead of blanket regionalization, both companies are focusing on strategic multi-sourcing and targeted near-shoring projects. This is not about completely abandoning established markets, but about consciously managing dependencies
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Medium-term - operational excellence through automation
From automated contract organization and central terms and conditions management to structured onboarding workflows: Digital tools eliminate frictional losses and create capacity for strategic tasks
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Long-term - value creation through data excellence
Complete transparency on price developments, automatic market analyses and commodity index-based cost models are transforming Procurement into a data-driven function. This creates considerable optimization potential, especially for B&C parts

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Digital maturity - the decisive competitive advantage

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What distinguishes successful automotive suppliers from average ones? The answer lies in the systematic use of technology:
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1. Data centralization - 360° supplier view instead of distributed Excel lists
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2. Standardized evaluation logic - objective decisions based on clear key figures
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3. Proactive warning and notification systems - recognizing risks before they become costs

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Recommendations for Procurement in a challenging environment

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1. Build transparency
   A complete Categories and supplier overview reveals critical dependencies and categorizes materials according to risk and value contribution
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2. Secure digital progress
   A central contract or price overview creates measurable improvements and facilitates the further expansion of digital processes
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3. Anchoring price analyses
   By linking commodity indices with purchase prices, deviations are recognized early on and negotiations can be prepared based on facts
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4. Accompanying change
   Early involvement of all departments, supplementary training and transparent communication increase the acceptance of new systems and ensure the success of digitalization

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Conclusion - Procurement as a strategic factor

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KERN LIEBERS and the Beinbauer Group prove it: Resilience, digital efficiency and data-driven cost leadership are achievable today. Those who transform their Procurement now will strengthen their ability to deliver, reduce costs and position themselves as an indispensable partner in the automotive ecosystem - no matter how turbulent the global situation remains. The unanimous conclusion of the participants was therefore: "Only proactive, digitally supported Procurement can lay the foundation for future opportunities"

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In the webinar, Dominik Kleiser (KERN LIEBERS), Dr Thorsten Lützeler (Beinbauer Group) and Lucas Trümpler (Tacto) shed light on how automotive suppliers are responding to geopolitical challenges: through strategic multi-sourcing instead of blanket regionalization, through purchasing automation for operational excellence and through data-driven cost optimization for B&C parts. The webinar provides tried-and-tested strategies for purchasing managers who want to lead their organization from reaction to action - even and especially in a volatile industry environment.