Fiat Group Pushes Client-Oriented Engineering As It Prepares To Spin Off Industrial Assets
Case Construction Equipment is launching a new line of loader-backhoes that the Racine, Wis.-based manufacturer says will boost sales as the economy rebounds. Production of the new line was informed by a strategy of its parent firm, Fiat Group, which places a high priority on client involvement early in the design phase.
While Case says it always has used customer feedback to guide product development, this higher level of interaction was initiated by Fiat’s top executive, CEO Sergio Marchionne, according to one company insider. Customers say the approach is a noticeable change from the past.