Tariffs. EV program delays. Contract disputes. Workforce shortages. For automotive suppliers, the challenges aren&#x27;t arriving one at a time—they&#x27;re colliding all at once. Today, we&#x27;re joined by David DeVine of Butzel to discuss how suppliers can navigate one of the most complex operating environments the industry has faced in years.

Tariffs, EV Delays and Risk: What Suppliers Need to Know Now

Automotive Insiders

Welcome to another episode of Automotive Insiders. I'm your host, Jason Stein. Great to have you back listening again here on this platform. The automotive supply chain has always been built on complexity, but today, complexity has been replaced by uncertainty. Tariffs are changing by the month, EV programs are being delayed, resized or canceled altogether. Contract disputes are growing more complicated and workforce challenges are no longer just an HR issue, they've become a supply chain issue.

For suppliers, the question is no longer whether the industry will change. The question is how quickly companies can adapt while protecting margins, preserving customer relationships and managing risks. Today, my guest is at the intersection of many of those conversations. David Devine is a shareholder at Butzel and a member of the firm's automotive industry team. For nearly two decades, he's advised companies through some of the most difficult business disputes, with a particular focus on automotive supply chains, pricing disputes, warranty issues, tooling claims,

bankruptcy matters, and contract negotiations. He works with suppliers of every size and every tier, helping them navigate in an environment where legal strategy and business strategy are increasingly inseparable. As the automotive industry continues to wrestle with tariff uncertainty, shifting production plans, changing trade policies, and workforce pressures, suppliers are facing a level of complexity few could have imagined just a few years ago.

Today, we'll discuss what feels fundamentally different about today's challenges, how suppliers should think about contract risk, why workforce strategy is now central to supply chain planning, and what executives should be doing right now to prepare for the second half of 2026. We'll also preview the upcoming Southern Supplier Summit in Greenville, South Carolina, where many of these issues will take center stage.

Tariffs, EV Delays and Risk: What Suppliers Need to Know Now

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.

Tariffs, EV Delays and Risk: What Suppliers Need to Know Now

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast, not the earnings call.

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.