Better management of resources, a strong focus on productivity, corporate citizenship, and the search for excellence as a condition of competition - these were the central themes tackled by Fiat Automóveis in Brazil during the 18th edition of the Qualitas Prize, with which Fiat has honoured its leading suppliers based on their performances during 2006.

Before an audience of more than 600 people, the CEO of Fiat in Latin America, Mr. Cledorvino Belini, stated that the search for the best productivity of resources as the only way to build for the future of companies and the planet. "As socially responsible companies, we are essential agents in the turning point in the global environmental point of view,” he emphasised.

The leaders of the main suppliers of Fiat in Brazil were welcomed in the “Centro de Convenções Expominas” in the city of Belo Horizonte, by Mr. Belini, by the Purchasing Director of Fiat Brazil, Mr. Vilmar Fistarol, and also by the Purchasing Global Director of the Fiat Group, Mr. Gianni Coda, (also the former Fiat Superintendent in Latin America) and by several other Purchasing directors of Fiat Group based in Italy.

The main distinction prize, Qualitas 5 Estrelas, was given to “Cerâmicas e Velas de Ignição NGK”, a company that richly deserved the prize for being very prominent during the last five editions of Qualitas, and altogether another fifty six companies were rewarded and twenty four were honourably mentioned. The prize also had two new categories for 2007: "Resources Productivity" (destined for the company that had shown the best management in the use of the resources in general, such as: reduction in the cost of energy, an increase in recycling, care of the environment, and reduction of the maintenance costs), the other category is "Development of New Products" (destined for the company that had the best management in terms of being able to accomplish the terms established, the quality, creativity and the best management of critical situations that may appear in the process of production).

Mr. Fistarol, when greeting the winners, highlighted that Fiat Brazil is prepared this year to beat its production record and is launching important new models in the market, and this requires not only great investments on the part of the company, but also relies of the supplier’s being prepared to correspond equally to the increment in the production.
 

“We have to obstinately pursue improvements in efficiency during the production stage as a whole, because it is vital for the survival of our companies and also an essential factor for the sustainability of the business, keeping a better life quality for the future generations," he said. He emphasised the actions being promoted by Fiat Brazil over this year, searching for better patterns of operational excellence in all stages of supplier’s production.

The Quality’s Director, Mr. Vieira Paz, showed to the guests the progress that has been obtained by Fiat and its suppliers, like the improvement of the performance indicators within several quality requirements, as well as the existent challenges. Mr. Paz talked about the need for integration among Fiat Brazil with its suppliers and the car dealers, searching for solutions to the problems and to offer the best service to customer’s. “We are building the largest and the best system of car production in Brazil, and to do this we have increased the structure of engineering of the product by hiring 150 professionals in 2006, and we will hire more 100 engineers in 2007, besides the growth by a third in the number of engineers of quality among the suppliers," he added.

Environmental and social results

The presentation of young artists from the social project "Árvore da Vida” (Tree of the Life), developed by the "Net Fiat for Citizenship in Betim" (MG), and also a lecture from the journalist Gilberto Dimenstein about business citizenship, put the emphasis on environmental actions for sustainability, and corporate social responsibility by Fiat, a theme present throughout the whole event.

Mr. Fistarol reminded the audience of the investment of the company in recycling of materials, "nowadays 93% of the residues in our productive process are destined to recycling, and 92% of the water is used again in that process after a treatment in our own facilities, and we are able to save now 7% of the consumption of energy for car produced compared with 2006."