In the CLEPA survey of March 2026, 76%of European automotive suppliers expect profitability below 5% this year. At that margin, one price cut can take the whole profit on a part number.
CLEPA, Pulse Check, spring 2026Where the cost of a piece comes from
From data the plant already has: the ledgers and ERP exports, purchase invoices, time standards, drawings or 3D models. The cost of a piece is built from material, labour and electricity. Every figure carries its method and source, and whatever the data lacks goes on the gap list.
- Material costs from the ledgers
- Purchase invoices
- Drawings, 3D models
Material
Purchases by input type, split across part numbers by part mass
- Payroll with social contributions from the ledgers
- Line staffing
- Time standards
Labour
Shop-floor payroll first to lines by staffing, then to part numbers by time standards
- Energy costs from the ledgers
Electricity
An equal share per unit sold of the plant's own products
- Sales from the ERP, 12 months
Cost per piece
Material, labour and electricity summed for each part number, from a complete data set.
Missing data goes on the gap list, and the component waits until it is filled.
For automotive parts makers, we calculate the cost of making every part number.
We work on exports from your ERP, and every uploaded data package can be withdrawn. The language model reads the documents; code calculates the cost.
When you need this number
- Price cut
- A customer asks for another price cut. You can see at which part number going lower means paying extra on every delivery.
- Request for quotation
- Some customers want a cost breakdown in the quote. Material, labour and electricity can then be backed by a document.
- New raw material price
- Purchases at the new price of sheet steel or granulate enter the calculation straight from the ledgers.
- Leave or retirement
- The method and sources are recorded with the number, so someone else on the team can take over the costing.
The first step is a pilot.
Pilotfrom $2,000one-time · prepaid
We take one process and agree its scope and goal with you. Within 5–10 business days it runs on your data. You get the before and after numbers and the record of every run.
PricingDirect questions, direct answers.
How soon does the first process run?
The first process runs within 5–10 business days of the pilot start. That is possible because the pilot covers one process, taken all the way. Further processes are added under the retainer, each with its own timeline.
What happens after the pilot?
We meet and compare the before and after numbers. If they hold up, the process moves to the retainer and we scope the next one. If they do not, you keep what was built and the engagement ends there.
Twenty minutes and one process to name.
No slide deck. You leave the call with a named process, an estimated gain, and a pilot quote.