Will Kobe Steel Scandal Hit U.S. GM Trucks?

[Gorehamj]

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
10-15-2017

Global metals supplier Kobe Steel has admitted to falsifying materials specifications and quality control reports on numerous metals for dozens of industries. The false engineering isn't a short-term error, but rather, a decades-long culture within the company according to reports. Despite the name, Kobe Steel is a key supplier to the automotive industry for metals such aluminum, copper, steel and other critical metallic components in everything from doors and hoods to gears and other drivetrain components,  and even such things as LCD screens. Ford says that materials that are suspect were used in doors and hoods for its Chinese vehicles, but has not yet determined if the materials were not to spec. A spokesman for GM, Nick Richards, told Automotive News, "We are investigating any potential impact and do not have any additional comments at this time."

 

Both Toyota and Honda use Kobe steel as a key supplier in some markets and have come forward to state that they do use metals from Kobe Steel. However, like GM and Ford, whether substandard metals were used in the production of its products remains unclear. According to Bloomberg, GM accounts for 1.67% of Kobe Steel's global revenue.

 

[MikeNH]

I had seen this pop up over the weekend. Seems to be a constant issue with Japanese industrial culture but that aside, as long as it was just body panes and not structural stuff, I'd not quite as concerned. 

[Grumpy Bear]

I wasn't born a cynic. I've been beat into submission to adopt it. 

[waumo1]

This being able to go on for decades is the result of the manufacturers eliminating their raw materials quality control tests and relying on the suppliers word.