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In this episode of the Auto Supply Chain Prophets podcast, hosts Terry Onica and Jan Griffiths interview Christopher Mattingly, a seasoned veteran of over 40 years in the automotive industry. Being a retired Vice President of Transportation at Stellantis, Christoper is here to talk about the dynamics of the transportation aspect of automotive supply chain management.

Christopher begins by sharing an important milestone in his professional journey: his time as a production supervisor at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant. He reflects on how industry leader Dick Dauch helped shape his career and inspired him to climb the corporate ladder.

With experience in nearly every aspect of the supply chain, Christopher shares his thoughts on where the automotive supply chain should focus today: end-to-end visibility and schedule stability. He outlines his vision of a perfect supply chain and discusses potential solutions that would make the supply chain world a lot easier to deal with.

"There's no better way than communication," says Christopher. To answer Terry's question on enabling better collaboration, Christopher suggests that no department should be left to solve its problems; instead, we should all work together and strive to advance the company's overall objectives.

Regarding his transportation role, Christopher discusses the number one issue the transportation world faces today: capacity and the need to develop cost-effective solutions. He shares some of the disruptions he encountered in his career and the solutions they have applied, providing valuable insights into navigating the transportation aspect of supply chain management.

In light of the massive transformation in the automotive industry, Christopher said that leaders must embrace the mindset of contingency planning, echoing the phrase, "Only the paranoid survive." He stresses that while it's challenging and requires discipline and collaboration, investing in robust contingency plans is crucial for leaders to navigate inevitable issues in the industry's transformation.

Themes discussed in this episode:

• Lessons learned from decades of experience in automotive supply chain management
• The current challenges faced by automotive supply chains today
• The importance of end-to-end visibility and schedule stability in supply chain operations
• Challenges in the transportation world relating to capacity
• Technology's impact on supply chain management, particularly in tracking and alarm systems
• Improving communication and collaboration across departments to address issues effectively
• The need to invest in robust contingency plans to help leaders anticipate and mitigate disruptions

Featured on this episode: 

Name: Christopher Mattingly

Title: Retired Vice President of Transportation at Stellantis North America

About: Christopher Mattingly is a seasoned automotive industry expert with over 40 years of experience. A Wayne State grad, he started as a production supervisor at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant in the 1980s and retired as Vice President of Transportation at Stellantis. With a diverse background in Supply Chain Management, Christopher excels in Logistics, Procurement, Supplier Quality, and more. Known for his dedication, leadership, and problem-solving skills, he has consistently driven operational improvements and new product launches. Passionate about mentoring and motivating his teams, Christopher is respected across all levels of the industry.

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