S.C. Automotive Summit Brings Industry Leaders to Palmetto State in February
January 16, 2015
Feb. 23 to 25 in downtown Greenville
The South Carolina Automotive Council will host the 4th Annual S.C. Automotive Summit presented by KPMG from Feb. 23 to 25 in beautiful downtown Greenville, S.C. Approximately 300 executives from leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, educators and other fields are expected to attend. Throughout the three days participants will hear from some of the automotive industry’s most prolific leaders; learn about innovations being born in South Carolina; and gain valuable knowledge regarding workforce development and supplier advancement.
One of the highlights of this year’s Summit is a Q&A with Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Motors, India’s largest automobile company. Established in 1945, Tata Motors has consolidated annual revenues of $38.9 billion (USD). The company employs over 60,000 and has produced more than eight million vehicles, which are sold primarily throughout India, but also in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, South Asia, South America, CIS and Russia. The company’s dealership, sales, services and spare parts network comprises over 6,600 touch points across the world.
During the S.C. Automotive Summit, Tata will participate in a Q&A with Automotive News Editor-in-Chief Keith Crain. Published by Crain Communications, Automotive News is the nation’s pre-eminent newspaper covering the automotive industry. Officials at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CUICAR) will also present Tata with an honorary degree.
“We are absolutely delighted to have Mr. Tata at this year’s South Carolina Automotive Summit,” says S.C. Automotive Council Executive Director Catherine Hayes. “He is one of this industry’s preeminent thought leaders, having built Tata Motors into one of the world’s largest and most respected automotive brands. Industry leaders across the Southeast and beyond are eager to have this rare opportunity to be with him in person and listen to his insights about global influences affecting the future of our industry.”
Other signature presentations planned for the S.C. Automotive Summit include an industry forecast from the U.S. Department of Commerce; the latest updates on CUICAR’s prestigious Deep Orange Project; a presentation about future designs from Sage Automotive; and a highly anticipated update on SARA, the technology that allows automobiles to detect objects around them. Full program details and registration information for the S.C. Automotive Summit may be found at www.scautosummit.com.
A major addition to this year’s Automotive Summit is the debut of South Carolina Auto Week. Conceived by the S.C. Automotive Council, S.C. Auto Week is a public celebration of South Carolina’s innovative automotive industry. For the entire week surrounding the Summit, students, parents, teachers and counselors will have opportunities to gain insight to best practices, innovations and career opportunities afforded by the automotive industry. Conference participants and the general public will also have opportunities to participate in Auto Week events, opening doors to future engagement with tomorrow’s industry workers and leaders.
“South Carolina’s automotive industry is one of this state’s leading economic engines,” Hayes explains. “Manufacturers and suppliers throughout the state are developing technologies and producing products in ways that are both imaginative and amazing. Research universities and companies are creating new ways of thinking about the future of mobility. Automotive dealers have sophisticated operations, and related services like marketing, finance, accounting and law will continue to play extremely important roles in the industry’s effectiveness and efficiency. We want to make South Carolinians more aware of just how exciting today’s automotive industry is because only with their involvement and support will the industry realize its full potential.”
Programs planned for S.C. Auto Week include an industry “initiation” with middle school girls; a Michelin Challenge Schools event at The Children’s Museum of the Upstate; a Cars & Coffee custom car showcase and an industry ride and drive experience at the new ITIC test track located at SCTAC. A complete list of programs with event details is available at the S.C. Auto Week website, www.scautoweek.com. S.C. Auto Week programs are expected to expand to other parts of the state in 2016 and beyond.
