Shape’s Second Annual Supplier Innovation Day

On Thursday, May 24, Shape’s Taft location hosted a buzz of men and women from around the globe. Our second annual Supplier Innovation Day brought together innovators from far and wide to meet and discuss the importance of innovation in the industry. In attendance were the following suppliers:

• Arconic
• Ortic
• SGL
• CAM Logic
• HyCal
• Hyrdo

The event also included a panel discussion on the future of lightweighting. Among the speakers were Edwin Pope, IHS global analyst for lightweighting, Gary Latham, director of design & engineering at Pratt & Miller, judging at Altair Auto lightweighting awards, and Alex Walk, SGL, technical sales manager – Americas. The panel was very well received by all, sparking thoughtful conversations and questions.

Events like Supplier Innovation Day allow Shape to further develop relationships with our suppliers and industry professionals. “With the innovation that we have seen in our industry, it is not just important to leverage your suppliers and their innovation, it is critical” said Jeff Piper, vice president of strategy and innovation. “It allows us to bring more innovation in at a faster pace. You extend your value stream y bringing suppliers in that space with you.”

Mark White, president, felt the event was a complete success, and expressed his excitement for future Supplier Innovation Day events. “Shape will continue to be a technology leader in lightweighting, and the importance of having a good strong collaborative relationship with partners is a key to that strategy. It opens our eyes and it stirs our creative energy to push further, which in the end means better solutions to our customers.”

Thank you to all of our team members who made this year’s Supplier Innovation Day a success.