The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance is a good example of one of the trends that are gathering pace in today’s automotive industry: consolidation. Having consisted of Renault and Nissan since 1999, the group brought Mitsubishi into the fold in 2016 – and in doing so moved into third place by sales volume among global vehicle-makers.

The acquisition of a controlling stake in Mitsubishi was not just about picking up more sales, however; it was about joining forces in an increasingly difficult operating environment, and finding efficiencies and cost-savings across multiple business functions. Last year, Mitsubishi’s first as a full member, the Alliance duly achieved a 14% increase in annualised synergies to €5.7 billion ($6.3 billion) as a result of “cost savings, incremental revenues and cost avoidance”, the company said in a June statement.

In an exclusive interview with Automotive Logistics at the Renault Connect office in Paris, France, Mark Sutcliffe, senior vice-president, industrial strategy and supply chain management for the Alliance, speaks of the pressures facing vehicle-makers as the industry transitions into a new era of mobility.