The collaboration is designed to drive pervasive access to tools and education for southern automotive companies to become more globally competitive by improving quality and reducing costs.

"Industry forecasts show that automotive production in the South is expected to grow by as much as 85 percent over the next three years, and these associations want to ensure companies in this region have the skills and overall capability to support this growth," said J. Scot Sharland, executive director of AIAG. "Individual operations are expected to deliver high standards of quality and world-class processes, and this effort is AIAG's way of helping move the industry forward."

With the partnership, members of the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association, Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association and Tennessee Automotive Manufacturers Association  can enroll with AIAG and receive a complimentary one-year AIAG membership. A membership in AIAG gives companies the ability to learn and adopt best practices and standards in the areas of corporate responsibility, materials management and quality.

An AIAG membership includes:

"¢ Online tools for self-assessment of quality issues and e-learning to correct them

"¢ Online tools to assess the knowledge gap and determine where additional training is needed

"¢ Cost-of-poor-quality calculating tool

"¢ Materials management e-learning

"¢ Global working conditions e-learning

"¢ Chemical awareness e-learning

"¢ Significant discounts on AIAG publications and core tools documents, training and events

AIAG is in its fourth decade of bringing together automotive companies large and small to work collectively and collaboratively to improve industry standards, streamline processes and develop common business practices. Any company whose employee participates as a project volunteer is provided unlimited access to publications produced by that volunteer's work group (including translations in local languages) for its employees worldwide.

The AIAG membership period begins at the time of enrollment, and the offer is available until December 31, 2013.

Source: AIAG