ADAC AUTOMOTIVE

ADAC Plastics, which does business as ADAC AUTOMOTIVE, has a handle on what automakers need. Started as A-Line Plastics in 1972, the company supplies automakers and tier 1 suppliers worldwide with interior/exterior door handles and components, exterior trim, and marker lighting. Other products include cowl vent grilles and fuel filler doors. Services provided by ADAC AUTOMOTIVE include design, molding, painting, and assembly. Its ADAC Technologies subsidiary is a leading supplier of plastic moldings, subassemblies, and decorative finishes. It is part of the VAST Alliance, along with fellow automotive suppliers STRATTEC SECURITY and WITTE Automotive of Velbert, Germany.

The VAST marketing alliance owns and operates manufacturing facilities in the US, Mexico, Germany, the Czech Republic, Brazil, and China. It manufactures products that include latching systems, lock sets, door handle components, exterior trim, and lighting products. Major customers include Ford, General Motors, Johnson Controls, and Nissan, among others. Considering the intense economic downturn of 2008 and 2009, especially for the automotive industry in the US, VAST helped mitigate the losses by generating revenue outside of North America, especially in developing vehicle manufacturing markets such as Asia and South America.

The automotive industry experienced declines averaging 40% in mid-2009, with more than 50 automotive suppliers filing for bankruptcy protection. ADAC weathered the downturn, but not without cutting 25% of its workforce. As the industry recovers, forecasts for 2010 and beyond predict increased sales for automotive suppliers.