The recall is due to a faulty
accelerator pedal arm, many of which have broken. Tests by Aston Martin have
revealed the source of the problem: rather than made from PA 6 supplied by
DuPont, as the company had specified, the part was produced from counterfeit
plastic.
This
highlights one of the main challenges of dealing with a globalised automotive
industry according to Dr. Brian Balmer, industry principal for performance
materials at Frost & Sullivan. He has 10 years market expertise, with a
focus on performance materials.
Aston
Martin, which assembles vehicles in the UK at Gaydon, Oxfordshire, and is
part-owned by Kuwaiti investors, had selected a company to supply these parts. The car making company was owned by Ford Motor Company and formed part of its Premier Automotive group (PAG).
The supplier, in Hong Kong, in turn appointed a trade moulder in mainland China
to mould the part. This business purchased the polymer from a local Chinese
supplier. The polymer material used supposedly was PA 6 from DuPont.
The tests
undertaken by Aston Martin showed that this material was not from DuPont as the
packaging suggested. In fact it was not even PA 6, it was PA 6,6.
Understandably,
Aston Martin has decided to return the moulding of the part back to the UK as
soon as possible.
The market
for polyamides in the Chinese automotive industry is dominated by the main
global manufacturers, although there is also a market for locally-produced
materials. DuPont is the market leader, with a market share of around 28
percent. Local Chinese manufacturers have a combined share of around 10 percent
of the market.
The
requirement to supply the same grade of material to OEM's across all regions of
the world is a critical success factor for polymer companies supplying the
automotive industry, so any move in the part’s production process from China to
the UK will be easily accommodated by DuPont.
According to Frost & Sullivan's latest research, the market for
compounded polyamide engineering plastic in the Chinese automotive industry in
2013 was worth more than $1 billion. In volume terms, China accounts around 28%
of global demand. This is somewhat ahead of the share taken by China of global
car manufacturing, suggesting that there is a market for export of
Chinese-moulded parts to OEMs in other regions.
The issue
of counterfeiting has affected major brands in other markets too, so it is up
to individual vehicle manufacturers to monitor and remain vigilant, and assess
methods of staying one step ahead to protect brand image.
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