The Die Casting Industry Is Ready – A Call for Trust-Based Collaboration with OEMs

The European die casting industry is at a turning point. Technological transformation, global competition, and increasingly compressed development cycles in the automotive sector demand a shift in mindset along the entire value chain. One thing is clear: the industry is prepared to take responsibility. What’s missing is a new kind of cooperation with OEMs – built on trust, transparency, and real partnership.

Katrin Grebe is direct: if you’re too slow, you’ll be left behind. That’s her key message about the speed required in development processes. Grebe is CEO of Krämer & Grebe, a family-owned tooling company. The company designs and manufactures tools for almost all casting processes and is deeply integrated into the European automotive supply industry. With decades of experience, Grebe knows the challenges the sector faces – and actively contributes to shaping its future as a member of the EUROGUSS Executive Circle. She recently joined the podcast Goldcasting, hosted by Fabian Niklas and Staffan Zetterström, to share her perspective on the current state of collaboration between OEMs and suppliers.

Contact is made via purchasing

One of the key issues: suppliers can offer valuable input early in the process. But once a project transitions from development to procurement, that knowledge is often decoupled – replaced by pure price comparisons. At that point, reliable partnerships are abandoned in favour of cost reductions measured in cents.

It is precisely in what’s known as frontloading that OEMs, foundries, and tooling suppliers could make the most important technical and economic adjustments together. But this would require better structures: communication at eye level, transparency across project phases, and shared objectives. Currently, many suppliers communicate only with purchasing – not with engineering.

Frontloading: early thinking instead of late improvements

In die casting, frontloading refers to the early integration of suppliers' technical expertise during product development – before key decisions on design, materials, and processes are finalised. The aim is to identify problems early, optimise components and avoid expensive changes during later industrialisation. If casting feasibility, tool design and part geometry are aligned from the beginning, technical and commercial performance can be maximised.

Katrin Grebe emphasises the importance of early cooperation: “In frontloading, we as tooling manufacturers see that ideas, casting processes and especially the tool must go hand in hand – otherwise you end up with expensive compromises.”

Differences between Europe and China

What is standard practice in many parts of Asia – and in the U.S. – is often blocked in Europe by rigid processes and silo thinking. The difference is especially striking between traditional European OEMs with heavily formalised procedures and new market entrants, particularly from China. Decisions are made faster there, technical queries are directed straight to experts, and partnerships are not judged by price alone.

Staffan Zetterström believes many European OEMs are being short-sighted: abandoning experienced European suppliers over small cost differences wastes valuable expertise and eliminates strategic flexibility. What looks like savings at first often turns into trouble when quality, logistics, or innovation start to lag – or when suppliers simply disappear from the market. That’s not strategic thinking. That’s dangerously short-term.

Input remains unused

Zetterström also points to a structural issue: “There is no unified approach in Europe to look at the actual costs of a part – tooling, production, logistics.” As a result, economic decisions are often made without full transparency.

Meanwhile, many suppliers are ready to take on more responsibility. They offer complete solutions, think in process chains, and contribute to sustainability, efficiency, and carbon reduction. Much of this potential remains untapped.

Fabian Niklas highlights a core dilemma: many foundries are willing to share their know-how early in the process – but not without commitment. “If you invest a lot of work in the early stages of a product to achieve the best outcome, you also need clarity that you’ll get the contract for series production later on.”

Bringing all stages of value creation together

Initiatives like the EUROGUSS Executive Circle – in which Grebe actively participates – aim to address these challenges by connecting stakeholders from all stages of the value chain, launching joint projects, and creating structures for long-term collaboration.

As Grebe puts it: “We don’t need more studies or endless analysis. What we need is the courage to get started. Now.”