John Dunn
President — Fleet Vehicles and Services, The Shyft Group
Get the Recognition Your Team Deserves
We’re celebrating examples of excellence in automotive manufacturing across North America.
Welcome to the 2023 Seraph Operational Excellence Awards.
ApplyThe North American automotive manufacturing industry is an engine for regional progress and prosperity. We know that you, the exceptional suppliers, are the ones driving this industry forward.
The last few years have been tough. But you’ve adapted and overcome. And that’s why we want to hear from you.
Our Operational Excellence Awards are your chance to showcase your outstanding achievements in operations, quality, logistics, and human resources. Don’t keep your hard work a secret – share it with the world and get the recognition you deserve.
So what are you waiting for? Apply now and join us in celebrating the best of the best in North American automotive manufacturing. We can’t wait to see what you’ve got.
A message from our President Thomas Kowal about the
Seraph Operational Excellence Awards.
Does one of your manufacturing plants raise the bar of operational excellence?
Recognize Your Team
2023 Seraph Operational Excellence Awards Categories.
Awards will be presented across five categories in the world of automotive manufacturing. These categories include:
- Operations
- Is the daily operation managed so that tasks are resolved and customer communication is effective?
- Quality
- Is there a quality system established to support long-term production and consistent root cause analysis?
- Human Resources
- Does the organization foster a safe, best-in-class work environment that leads to strong recruitment efforts and low employee turnover?
- Logistics
- Are all responsible parties aligned to ensure that raw material requirements are met without disruptions?
- Overall Best Supplier
- The Overall Best Supplier Award will be presented to the organization that scores highest across the above categories.
Our judges.
Winning a Seraph Operational Excellence Award is more than a prestigious achievement — every Award signifies recognition from automotive experts at the top of their fields.
Michael Fahy
CEO Region Americas, DB Schenker
Chris Grabmiller
CEO, StaffBright
Jim Barbaretta
General Manager, Brose Tuscaloosa
Gloria Blanchard
HR Director, Brose
Kerry Curvey
HR Vice President, Purem
Thomas Kowal
President — North America
Richard Payne
Managing Director
Wade Phillips
President — Europe
Jay Butler
Managing Director
Great judges. Good cause.
In recognition of the time, energy, and commitment of our judges, we will be donating $5,000 in the name of each judge to a charity of their choice.
Why enter for an Operational Excellence Award?
Entering your organization for a Seraph Operational Excellence Award can lead to far-reaching industry recognition, future partnership opportunities, and a new perspective on operational excellence.
There is no cost to apply.
If you are a supplier that has a plant location that is pushing the automotive industry forward, reliably making great parts, we think you deserve to be celebrated!
Who should apply:
Automotive suppliers with operations in North America that achieve exceptional results are eligible to apply for the Seraph Operational Excellence Awards. Please note that each application is for a single plant, so we encourage you to put forward your best! You can submit an application for each of your top performing manufacturing facilities.
What to expect:
Applicants must complete an online supplier questionnaire specific to each plant location that is applying. The questionnaire takes approximately one hour to complete and assesses your facility against your peers in four key categories: operations, quality, human resources, and logistics. There is no need to choose a specific category to apply for. Completing the application automatically considers you for all five awards. All information shared during the process is confidential and each judge has signed an NDA, our privacy policy is available here.
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Industry Recognition
- Opportunity to be recognized as a top supplier, winners will be promoted extensively through social media, the press, industry organizations and targeted advertising.
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Thorough Assessment
- Seraph will conduct a brief 1-2 day on-site assessment for the top eight finalists, valued at over $10,000. Timing and audit duration will be accommodated based on each applicant's availability.
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Expert Evaluation
- Be evaluated by a judging panel of industry experts with prominent leadership positions.
The Awards Process.
Online Applications
Due March 17th
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Round One
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Online Supplier Questionnaire
All applicants must apply for an award by providing basic company information by filling out the form at the bottom of this page. Applicants will be forwarded to a welcome letter on the online supplier questionnaire, where they should click "Start Application" and make an account. The supplier questionnaire will cover questions across four key areas; operations, quality, human resources and logistics. Once you have access to the online supplier questionnaire, you may invite collaborators to fill-in specific sections of the questionnaire. The answers to the supplier questionnaire will be scored, and the eight applicants who score the highest will move onto Round Two.
January 23 – March 17 -
Round Two
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Onsite Assessment
The eight organizations that received the highest scores from Round One will receive a no-cost on-site assessment performed by members of the Seraph team. Timing and audit duration will be accommodated based on applicant's availability. The visit will be executed by seasoned automotive manufacturing consultants that will measure criteria like customer satisfaction, environment safety, inventory WIP level, equipment tooling state maintenance, and more. After completion of the 1 or 2 day assessment, your team will receive a thorough findings document that can be shared with your management team.
Late March — Mid May -
Round Three
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Judging Panel Review
Our esteemed panel of judges will review findings from the plant assessment to select the top five category winners. All winners will be promoted via the press, social media and obtain the right to use the award mark on your website or any place you see fit.
Late May -
Final
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Awards Banquet
All winners will receive a complimentary reserved table to invite others from your organization to attend.
June 15, 2023Chroma
2937 E Grand Blvd
Detroit, MI 48202
About Seraph
We are a global operations and strategy consulting firm that works directly with OEM purchasing and supplier management teams. We’ve worked with hundreds of automotive Tier 1 and 2 supplier facilities to bring out the best in their teams and operations. We live and breathe automotive manufacturing and have dedicated our careers to improved stability, profitability and output for our clients.
An Evening of Celebration.
We’re excited to host the 2023 Seraph Operational Excellence Awards at Chroma, in the heart of Detroit, Michigan on June 15th. Join us for a night of celebration including an award ceremony, mingling with industry peers, dinner, and cheers.
The banquet will bring industry experts together to share best practices in an evening of celebration. Whether you are an OEM or supplier, or simply work in the automotive industry, all are welcome.
Erin Schrieber, from MEMA (formerly OESA), will serve as our Master of Ceremonies for the evening
Erin Schrieber is the Senior Manager of Membership and Auto Industry Connector for MEMA, the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association. Formerly known as OESA, MEMA is the leading trade association in North America for vehicle suppliers, parts manufacturers, and remanufacturers, with over 1,000 members. Additionally, Erin serves on the board of the Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation.
Apply for an Award Today.
Does your organization drive the future of operational excellence?
Applications for 2023 are closed, but you can apply for 2024. Each plant location that is applying must fill-out the below form. We don’t share your information.
Questions?
Reach out to awards@seraph.com