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42 May 2018 | AutoData SPECIAL AWARDS » HONDA AUTOMOBILES H onda Automobiles awarded its best Brazilian suppliers in 2017. The twen- tieth edition of its recognition was held in mid-April at the Dom Pedro Expo, in Campinas, SP. Twenty-nine suppliers were awarded: twenty in the category of auto parts, which according to the manufacturer, in a state- ment, “achieved the highest level of quality, delivery and management” and nine other highlighted ones in “competitiveness and location, quality and delivery”, according to the same statement. For the company, “the objective of the award is to encourage partners to continu- ally improve the good results andmotivate others to seek this recognition. Due to the constant search for nationalization of items and increased competitiveness, streng- thening the partnership with suppliers represents, in addition to the continuous improvement of the brand’s products, a virtuous circle of joint growth”. Asked byAutoData to detail the award By AutoData Newsroom Two decades of continuous improvement For the twentieth time Honda recognizes its best national suppliers. A nationalization increase is on the radar of the manufacturer, but without any details. criteria and winning initiatives, the com- pany claimed that it could not provide any additional information because of “data confidentiality and strategic issues”. [N of R: sic.] In a note sent by e-mail from José Golfeto, general manager of purchases, he states only that “in twenty years of car production in Brazil we have built a par- tnership and trust relationship with our network of suppliers. For this we maintain an open and constant communication so that we are aligned with Honda’s level of demand for quality, delivery, innovation, nationalization, sustainability and also costs. Our close contact continues since the development of the component and preparation for production until the pro- ductive stage, with a routine of monthly quality reports and deliveries, as well as joint plans and actions focused on conti- nuous improvement”. In addition to that, the executive reveals that the nationalization index for Honda vehicles today is around 70%: “We intend to increase this index, for sure”, he said, without elaborating how, when or what kind of component. It is certain that the complete process of transferring the production of vehicles from Sumaré, SP, to Itirapina, São Paulo, which starts next year and is expected to last two years (see page 44), should not represent major changes in local purcha- ses from themanufacturer: “We expect the maintenance of the volume of purchases, since the production of automobiles will remain the same”.