Southfield, Michigan – Automotive body structure, chassis, and closure engineer John K. Catterall is the new executive director of the steel industry’s automotive working group. The Auto/Steel Partnership (A/SP) is a 30-year-old organization that works with automakers to promote the benefits of steel.
A/SP has been critical in keeping steel the dominant material in modern vehicles. Through the A/SP, steel suppliers developed many of the high-strength alloys that automakers have used in recent years to boost strength and rigidity in vehicles while cutting weight.
“John has been an active member in the A/SP for many years and his working knowledge of the organization, as well as his deep understanding of the automotive industry made him the right candidate for the position,” said Steve Gallagher, body structures technical specialist at Ford Motor Co. and chairman of A/SP’s Joint Policy Council. “He has held leadership roles in several major automotive technology projects throughout his career and we look forward to John leading more advanced product and manufacturing technology projects as the partnership advances.”
Catterall said as the auto industry produces at record levels, the A/SP will be critical to developing cost-effective technologies for future vehicles.
“I’ve spent nearly four decades running advanced development projects with General Motors Co. and other organizations,” Catterall said. “My knowledge and experience will help us to be more efficient, and work more collaboratively with our members to grow the A/SP in the years to come.”
Most recently, Catterall was global innovation manager for body systems at General Motors Co. Prior to General Motors Co., he held positions with Autokinetics Inc., Desktop Engineering International Inc., Hartwick Professionals Inc., Lexel Engineering, H.W. Structures, Austin Rover, and Leyland Vehicles.
Catterall holds degrees in Mechanical and Production Automotive Engineering from Bolton Technical College and Leyland Technical College in England, UK.
Auto/Steel Partnership members include AK Steel Corp., ArcelorMittal, FCA US LLC, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Nucor Corp.