A123 SYSTEMS
One of the jewels in Michigan ’ s vast manufacturing crown , A123 Systems has brought battery and energy storage expertise to the market since 2001 – and the business hasn ’ t stopped innovating since .
Following a string of high-profile collaborations to create bigger and better lithium-ion solutions , the business is blossoming , and currently has plans to grow between three and five hundred percent . This ambition led Troy Zerbe , SVP Global Supply Chain & Quality , to find himself drawn to the business by the opportunity to be , in his own words , “ part of something great ”.
The role was a perfect match for Zerbe ’ s background , allowing him to start making impactful changes to the business right from the beginning . On stepping into his role , he discovered that he was becoming part of a passionate , dedicated team that was ready to drive the substantial growth A123 was forecasting .
Zerbe set about transforming and streamlining the company ’ s supply chain , which was no small task , but first he had to fully understand the entire company ’ s processes .
“ We touch everything from nose to toe ,” he explains . “ We start with R & D , which we ’ re very involved in with regards to technology development and new battery cells – it ’ s a very IP-rich environment . During the cell development especially , it ’ s important to have the right suppliers engaged , so we have purchasing experts and commodity experts involved in R & D , with
38 December 2017