Industries
Automotive
Expertise
Navigating transformation across the global value chain
Electrification, automation, AI, and connectivity are reshaping the automotive and mobility industry. In a rapidly evolving landscape, speed to innovation is critical. But that’s not the only challenge. Tariff policy changes, trade tensions, and ongoing supply chain disruptions call for organizations to redefine cost structures, smarten sourcing strategies, and strengthen operational agility.
We help OEMs, suppliers, technology companies, investors, and dealerships confront industry challenges with strategic solutions. Our team of accounting, tax, and consulting advisors brings decades of industry experience, backed with proprietary market forecasts and benchmarking data, to deliver leading-edge market, financial, operational, and strategic intelligence. Headquartered in the Motor City with more than 100 years of experience, we’re more than business advisors — we’re partners committed to your long-term growth and success.
Solutions
A strategic partner can help you keep up with the speed of innovation and achieve success across the value chain. Our automotive and mobility experts can help you across accounting, tax, and consulting needs; we specialize in:
Get custom ERP solutions, including expert guidance on the PLEX Smart Manufacturing Platform.
Expertise
Application life cycle management
No matter where you’re at in the enterprise application life cycle, we take a holistic approach, examining your specific needs, existing capabilities, and organizational maturity. We’ll bring independence and objectivity to the process, applying our proven methodologies to develop an application strategy that will align your goals, minimize risk, and drive growth.
Our enterprise application experience spans enterprise resource planning (ERP), financial consolidation and corporate performance management (CPM), human capital management (HCM), customer relationship management (CRM), student information systems (SIS), customer information systems (CIS), warehouse management systems (WMS), and more. Beyond the alphabet soup of enterprise applications, we also have technical expertise in several complimentary domains, including cybersecurity, data analytics, cloud infrastructure, internal controls, robotic process automation, and more. We’ll help you determine what’s the right scope and focus of your journey and roadmap the entire project from start to finish, providing practical, transparent guidance throughout the process.
ERP is the foundation upon which other technology initiatives are built
For many organizations, the initiation of an ERP gap assessment or selection is the first occasion for leadership to critically review the entirety of their processes through the lenses of effectiveness, efficiency, standardization, and alignment with strategic goals. For others, it may represent the opportunity to revisit that exercise through the context of evolving technology capabilities or significant changes in processes or priorities as the organization has evolved. Our consultants understand the importance of this technology as a cornerstone to helping you build an effective, sustainable application strategy to unite your technology with your people and processes.
You’ll receive practical, industry-focused expertise
Our experience goes beyond knowing the systems. Many of our consultants have previously worked within the industries they serve and have deep knowledge of industry nuances and best practices for aligning technology with operations in manufacturing, government, education, healthcare, construction, and more. The proper alignment of people and process with technology is the most critical driver of organizations realizing the return on their enterprise technology investments.
Services that flex and scale to your needs
For many organizations, the initiation of an ERP gap assessment or selection is the first occasion for leadership to critically review the entirety of their processes through the lenses of effectiveness, efficiency, standardization, and alignment with strategic goals. For others, it may represent the opportunity to revisit that exercise through the context of evolving technology capabilities or significant changes in processes or priorities as the organization has evolved. Our consultants understand the importance of this technology as a cornerstone to helping you build an effective, sustainable application strategy to unite your technology with your people and processes.
Here’s how:
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Our assessment and planning capabilities will help you identify which system will meet your unique organizational requirements and how overall timing goals, dependencies, resources, and the technology ecosystem may influence your approach. We’ll address your needs holistically and help you define and perform the due diligence required to navigate the best path forward.
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With so many options available and continuous change in the marketplace, it’s challenging to know which solution or platform approach is right for you. Our selection consultants help you develop and execute an appropriate procurement strategy to quickly identify requirements, narrow the list of best-fit solutions, facilitate an effective evaluation process, and provide practical insights to help you during your final vendor selection and contracting.
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We’ll help you get the most out of your application investments with strong project and change management process recommendations, support you in establishing focused and independent project governance, and facilitate robust testing and technical training, key to user adoption. We’ll help you emphasize the nuances of your operations and specific functional requirements during your design and configuration to reduce risk and increase your return on investment. Our knowledge of market trends, business issues, and best practices can provide a smoother and more seamless path to achieving your goals.
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Our experienced ERP consultants can help you ensure you’re getting the most out of your system through thoughtful, practical improvement services. Whether you’re looking to modernize your underperforming current platform with new capabilities like AI and automation or optimize your processes to take full advantage of the data and resources on hand, we’ll provide you with the tools and strategies you need to capitalize on your potential. We have experience with all the leading ERP platforms and have helped many organizations optimize functionality and get the most out of their investment.
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We offer a range of support services to complement what your primary software vendor provides to extend the valuable life of your business application investments. Whether it’s enhanced business analytics, cybersecurity, managed IT, or cloud migration — we can help you align all aspects of your organization and ensure you’re getting the most out of your applications now and in the future.
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Enterprise technology implementations are not easy and often get stalled or go live while still falling short of expectations. Have you recently implemented an ERP system only to find that it isn’t fulfilling your functional requirements, or you’re not realizing its full potential? We provide specialized project recovery services for those enterprise projects or implementation partner relationships that need to get back on track.
Supply Chain & Operations
Expertise
Optimize your supply chain, deliver transformational results
In response to emerging global trends, trade and tariff policies, increased demand for visibility, and speed-to-market pressures, the most successful organizations optimize their supply chains to fuel sustainable growth. We’ll help your organization mitigate risk, explore options, and build a flexible and responsive supply chain tailored to the distinct needs of your business. Whether you need to quickly respond and react to global complexities or customer and product demands, our experts help you align your supply chain with your strategic business goals.
Align processes and business strategies for deliberate growth
From high-level strategy and vision to innovative, high-impact initiatives that build on streamlined processes and infrastructure, our holistic approach helps transform the supply chain of any company, from emerging startups to established international enterprises. Our consultants help you focus on delivering the biggest improvements in the shortest amount of time possible.
Our services for supply chain and operations improvement include:
Distribution & logistics management
An efficient distribution network and transportation strategy that aligns with your overall business strategy gives you the flexibility to innovate and adapt to change. Do your logistics operations align with your long-term corporate strategy? We’ll help shape an effective distribution network and transportation strategy that leverages technology and partnerships to optimize and streamline your operations. We’ll identify improvement opportunities to enhance service, lower logistics costs, and provide you with a cohesive blueprint that positions you for success in a rapidly changing global economy. Our services include transportation cost reduction, warehouse management, network design and optimization, 3PL /4PL selection and relationship management, and reverse logistics.
Industry 4.0 is the intelligent connectivity between your equipment, people, processes, technology, and digital competencies. From improved operations to increased competitiveness, higher-quality production, a more productive workforce, and greater revenue, the benefits span your entire organization. One thing is clear: Industry 4.0 is no longer an option, and those who wait fall behind. It’s time to level up.
A streamlined operation equates to improved financial performance. With hands-on industry experience, we’ll quickly learn the intricacies of your business operations. Our practical approach helps you achieve high performance and sustainable results that improve customer service levels and bottom-line profitability.
Planning & forecasting
Are the right items available when and where they’re needed? We’ll assess your existing planning activities and communication methods, analyze forecast inputs, and help create a responsive, highly integrated planning process that improves operational and revenue performance. Our sales and operations planning (S&OP) services include forecast management and communication, supply-to-demand alignment, capacity management, and lead time reduction.
Process improvement
Even the strongest performers can find new opportunities to streamline processes and reduce waste. We’ll apply our knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, value stream mapping, continuous improvement/Kaizen events, and other process improvement disciplines to remove waste and drive rapid, sustainable growth. We’ll not only identify issues and gaps in current procedures but also deliver solutions for your particular situation and manage implementation to ensure a smooth transition from current to future state operations.
Project & program management
Transforming ideas into reality, while maintaining business alignment and profitability, can be a significant undertaking. Whether you have one project or an organizational transformation consisting of various complex initiatives, we ensure you have the keys for success: proper controls, communication mechanisms, project management tools, and monitoring processes.
Sourcing & supplier management
Are you confident you’re receiving the lowest total costs with the highest quality and service levels? We’ll work closely with you to improve existing capabilities, streamline processes, and build positive, long-term supplier relationships. Our services include sourcing strategy development and execution, cost-savings implementation, supplier development and performance management improvements, and supply-base risk assessment and mitigation.
Supply chain & operations strategy
Does your current strategic roadmap allow you to pivot quickly when you notice issues in your supply chain network? By focusing on your company’s existing strengths, we’ll help you develop and implement strategies to drive innovation and position your organization to outperform competitors in the global economy.
Tariff strategy & advisory
As global trade policies shift and new tariffs emerge, supply chain and operations leaders must adapt quickly to maintain efficiency and cost control. Our advisory services are designed to help you align your supply chain strategy with evolving regulations, mitigate tariff-related disruptions, and uncover opportunities for cost recovery. With the right guidance, navigating these complexities becomes a strategic advantage—not just a compliance challenge.
Expertise
Accelerate performance with intelligent cost and margin data
Do you have the cost and margin information you need to make the decisions necessary to drive your competitive advantage? To survive and thrive in today’s highly competitive global marketplace, you need to understand where you make money — and where you don’t. Big data alone won’t reveal which products and services actually contribute to your success, which customers are profitable, or what changes you need to make across the enterprise to increase profitability. We’ll arm you with intelligent data so you can achieve optimal operational and financial performance.
Our cost and margin intelligence experts understand that no two organizations are the same, so we tailor our solutions to your specific environment to accurately model material, labor, and overhead costs based on key drivers like yield, productivity, and capacity utilization. We combine our deep industry expertise and experience with our customized data analytics models to provide you with pragmatic, focused, and actionable insights.
Whether you’re a domestic organization or a billion-dollar global company — or whether you’re public, private, or private equity-owned — we’ve seen it all. Our experts have a deep understanding of industry trends and issues, and we’ll work with you to accelerate performance. Let us help you take a new approach to cost and margin intelligence. Contact us today.
Gain visibility into your product life cycle costs, and strengthen your strategic decisions
Intelligent cost management analysis leads to improved productivity, lower costs, and increased revenue. Our specialists help you improve organizational alignment and give you the right techniques to win the most profitable work.
Services include:
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Are you data rich, but information poor? Data alone isn’t enough. Our cost and margin intelligence experts will create custom, interactive dashboards that translate massive amounts of data into simple, easy-to-understand formats. Our team will help provide meaning to your data to bring actionable information to the forefront — so you’ll know what changes to make to increase profitability.
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Do your costing and quoting processes incorporate industry best practices? We integrate education and training into every project because a well-designed process can fail without the necessary discipline and structure. We’ll provide cross-functional training in all costing and quoting methodologies as needed, including standard costing, variance analysis, actual costing, job costing, and activity-based costing.
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Are you confident your ERP system is providing accurate cost and margin information? Whether it’s inaccurate master-file data, inappropriately configured costing options, inaccurate overhead application methods, or a host of other common challenges, our consultants can help you get the most out of your ERP costing system. We’ll assess and clean up your data, align your work center definitions, and improve your overhead rates so that your cost system provides you with timely, accurate information.
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Do you have transparent insights into key cost drivers and how they impact your margins? From product proliferation, process complexity, and automation, to volume variability and varying logistics requirements, you need a model that’s comprehensive yet scalable and flexible enough to address changing business conditions. We’ll tailor a practical cost and margin model to your specific needs, so you gain new insight into operations and profitability.
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Is your manufacturing footprint optimized so you can respond to changing conditions, manage risk, and remain competitive? Have tariffs, and other macroeconomic factors caused you to reconsider your footprint? There’s a variety of internal and external considerations that drive the need to review and optimize your manufacturing footprint. We provide visibility into true costs to help you make an informed decision and keep pace with a complex global manufacturing environment. Our consultants have expertise in supply chain, real estate, talent, international markets, and operations to evaluate, optimize, and implement your new manufacturing footprint.
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Is a sluggish, inaccurate quoting process costing you new business? Whether implementing or optimizing commercially available quoting and estimating software, or developing a Microsoft Excel-based model, we’ll tailor a solution to your company. Looking at activities throughout the quoting process — from customer requests, to pricing approval, to cost breakdowns and pricing support — our experts can streamline the process from weeks to days (and in some cases, hours) while improving accuracy.
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How does your costing or quoting system and process compare to best-in-class options? We’ll assess your processes, operations, and costing/quoting system to identify opportunities for improvement. Assessments can range from one day to weeks depending on your needs and will include a report outlining observations, implications, recommendations, and a roadmap for improvement. We can also help select and implement new tools while ensuring that they interface seamlessly with your ERP system.
Tariffs, global trade, & economic policy updates to track
The America First Trade Policy memorandum calls for a comprehensive review of U.S. trade policy, trade practices, and trade imbalances. The memorandum outlines trade and economic policy recommendations to address priority areas of trade, several of which may have important implications for companies and their supply chains.
However, the full impacts of the tariff plan and global trade policy remain to be seen. While some policy changes have already taken effect, U.S. trade policy and the economic landscape will continue to see developments. Businesses must be prepared to act quickly and align business strategies as policies update and evolve.
Our global trade and supply chain management experts are monitoring developments to offer tailored guidance and scenario planning for organizations across industries. Let us help you stay informed and navigate the evolving trade, policy, and economic landscape. Track the latest and stay ahead with insights, alerts, webinars, and guidance from our experts.
Strategies for navigating the changing economic landscape
It’s difficult — but entirely possible — to manage the complexities of changing tariffs and trade policies while optimizing your strategy. You can count on us to help you assess, reduce, and recover tariff impacts.
Assess the impact of tariffs on your business
We’ll help you determine tariff impacts on finished goods, components, and raw materials. From exposure modeling and contract review to validating bills of materials* and Harmonized Tariff Schedules*, get a clear view of your financial situation.
*For these activities, we would work in partnership with your law firm, customs broker, or preferred service provider. We can also refer you to other relationships within our broad professional network, as requested.
Determine ways to reduce tariff exposure
Using a data-driven approach to tariff mitigation, we’ll develop strategies for reducing your exposure. We’ll work with you to build a detailed plan that includes an analysis of the potential benefits and risks involved with various impact reduction methods like transfer pricing, reshoring, and alternative supplier sourcing. Once we’ve determined an optimal strategy, we’ll help you execute it.
Optimize transfer pricing strategy
Review and reevaluate transfer pricing policies to help manage the impact of tariffs on intercompany cross-border transactions. We can identify which entity should bear the cost of the tariffs in the existing structure, analyze opportunities to reduce the price of goods in import transactions, or advise on supply chain realignment to move more functions, assets, and risks into the United States.
Uncover opportunities for tariff recovery
We can help you recover the financial burden of imposed tariffs. Our focus will be on recovering actual tariff costs via customers and other means, as well as additional cost reduction ideas, like performing an end-to-end analysis of your supply chain for inefficiencies and vulnerabilities and streamlining, standardizing, and automating your operations.