March 22, 2026 | Bonus Episode: Vinturas CEO on supply chain crisis; IMSA president on racing’s growth
About this episode
Venturis CEO Ronald Kliwigt argues the automotive supply-chain crisis has shifted from episodic disruptions to a structural, ongoing problem driven by geopolitics and logistics. He contrasts today’s war-driven damage and rerouting with the pandemic, stressing that “stabilization” still means constant volatility and the need for plan A/B/C resilience. He also explains how sourcing is evolving—moving parts closer to assembly, diversifying beyond China/Europe, and prioritizing geopolitical risk over cost. IMSA president John Doonan then highlights record 2026 attendance, stronger fan engagement, and IMSA’s tech-forward partnership with NASA.
Vinturas CEO Ronald Kleijwegt talks about why supply chain disruption has become structural rather than episodic, and what automotive executives need to do differently. Plus, Automotive News reporter Jack Walsworth concludes his conversation with John Doonan, president of the International Motor Sports Association, about record attendance at the Rolex 24, a groundbreaking NASA partnership, and what’s ahead for sports car racing in North America.
Venturis
"Earlier this week, I spoke with Ronald Kliwigt, CEO of Venturis, about how the Iran War is disrupting automotive supply chains and why he believes supply chain disruption has shifted from episodic to structural."
Venturis is the company Ronald Kliwigt runs. The discussion uses his perspective to explain how world events can disrupt car-part sourcing and manufacturing.
Venturis is referenced as the company Ronald Kliwigt leads. In this episode, it’s used as the lens for discussing how geopolitical events are affecting automotive supply chains.
automotive supply chains
"Earlier this week, I spoke with Ronald Kliwigt, CEO of Venturis, about how the Iran War is disrupting automotive supply chains and why he believes supply chain disruption has shifted from episodic to structural."
An automotive supply chain is the whole system that gets car parts from raw materials to the factory. When it’s disrupted, automakers can’t get the parts they need on time.
“Automotive supply chains” refers to the network of suppliers, logistics, and manufacturing steps that deliver parts and materials to vehicle makers. The segment focuses on how geopolitical conflict can interrupt parts availability, timing, and costs across that network.
episodic to structural
"Earlier this week, I spoke with Ronald Kliwigt, CEO of Venturis, about how the Iran War is disrupting automotive supply chains and why he believes supply chain disruption has shifted from episodic to structural."
“Episodic to structural” describes a shift from short-lived disruptions (temporary shocks) to long-lasting, embedded changes in how supply chains operate. The implication is that companies may need to redesign sourcing, logistics, and risk management rather than just react to one-off events.
sourcing strategies
"In this second part, Kliwigt explains why the crisis is fundamentally different from the pandemic, how companies are shifting sourcing strategies away from Europe in the Middle East, and why executives need to prioritize geopolitical risk over cost when making sourcing decisions."
Sourcing strategy is how a company decides where to get parts and materials. In this episode, they’re saying companies are changing those choices because of geopolitical disruption.
“Sourcing strategies” are the decisions automakers and suppliers make about where to buy materials and components, and how to structure supplier relationships. The segment highlights shifting sourcing away from Europe toward the Middle East as part of adapting to disruption.
geopolitical risk
"In this second part, Kliwigt explains why the crisis is fundamentally different from the pandemic, how companies are shifting sourcing strategies away from Europe in the Middle East, and why executives need to prioritize geopolitical risk over cost when making sourcing decisions."
Geopolitical risk is the risk that politics and conflicts will interfere with getting parts. The point here is that companies shouldn’t choose suppliers only based on price if the region is unstable.
“Geopolitical risk” is the likelihood that political conflict, sanctions, or instability will disrupt trade routes, manufacturing, or supplier reliability. The segment argues executives should weigh this risk more heavily than pure cost when choosing where to source parts.
crisis management
"Right. Yeah, I mean, I've done a lot of crisis management in my career, right? From the Iceland volcano to Fukushima and everything else, right?"
Crisis management is how leaders handle big disruptions when things go wrong. The speaker is saying he’s dealt with similar large-scale crises before and learned from them.
“Crisis management” refers to the processes and leadership actions used to respond to disruptions and minimize damage. The speaker frames his experience across multiple major events to support his view that the current supply-chain problem may be long-term.
port congestion
"it created a lot of port congestion and a lot of inland congestion as well. And particularly where I am living here, right, where you have the port of Rotterdam and the port of Antwerp, there are massive issues right now with congestion"
Port congestion means the port is backed up and things can’t move through as fast as they should. If parts can’t get off ships and onto trucks quickly, car production gets delayed too.
Port congestion is when ships, trucks, and containers pile up at a harbor, slowing loading/unloading and backing up the supply chain. For automakers and parts suppliers, this can delay inbound components and push production schedules out of sync.
inland congestion
"it created a lot of port congestion and a lot of inland congestion as well. And particularly where I am living here, right, where you have the port of Rotterdam and the port of Antwerp"
Inland congestion is traffic and delays away from the port—like trucks getting stuck or delivery routes backing up. That can still stop parts from arriving when factories need them.
Inland congestion refers to delays after cargo leaves the port—on roads, rail yards, warehouses, and distribution routes. Even if the port is functioning, inland bottlenecks can still prevent containers from reaching factories on time.
unpredictability
"Because the more unpredictability there is, the worse it even could, because you cannot plan anymore. It's so hard to plan."
Unpredictability means you can’t count on deliveries arriving when expected. When that happens, factories struggle to plan and may have to hold extra inventory or slow down.
In supply chains, unpredictability means delays and variability that can’t be forecast reliably. For automotive logistics, this increases safety stock needs, raises costs, and makes it harder to coordinate production with inbound parts.
shifting sources away from Europe and the Middle East
"Now, your research says that companies are shifting sources away from Europe and the Middle East and toward the Americas and Asia."
This means companies are changing where they buy parts from. If one region becomes unreliable or too slow, they look for alternatives to keep cars being built.
“Shifting sources” means companies change where they source parts and materials from. In automotive supply chains, moving sourcing away from certain regions can be a response to congestion, geopolitical risk, or cost/lead-time pressures.
Renault
"assembly plants like PSA, Renault, and some others,"
Renault is a major European automaker with manufacturing and supply-chain footprints. In this segment, it’s cited as part of the existing assembly presence in Morocco that enables more local sourcing.
closer to where their assembly and production sites are
"So if you can start doing really sourcing your parts and components more from closer to where your assembly or production sites are, that can reduce the impact on what we had just been discussing on port congestion,"
They’re saying companies want parts made closer to the factories that build the cars. That can reduce delays when shipping or supply chains get messy.
This describes “geographic matching” between suppliers and manufacturing locations—placing production of parts nearer to where vehicles are assembled. It’s a common strategy to reduce logistics risk and improve responsiveness during disruptions.
diversifying around the globe
"And is it bringing it closer or is it diversifying around the globe? I mean, or is it both?"
It means not putting all your parts sourcing in one region. If one place has problems, other regions can help keep production going.
“Diversifying around the globe” means spreading sourcing and production across multiple regions rather than relying on a single country or supply corridor. This can improve resilience but may require additional investment and coordination.
rare earth materials
"But certain materials simply not available, look at these rare earth materials, they're only available at certain locations."
Rare earth materials are special minerals used in lots of modern technology. The issue is that they’re not found everywhere, so it can be difficult to source them from new places quickly.
Rare earth materials are a group of minerals used in electronics and many automotive technologies, especially electric vehicles and motors. The speaker notes they’re only available in certain locations, which makes supply-chain diversification harder for those inputs.
cable harnesses
"Because you're using the same, let's say, cable harnesses at your plants in Mexico. So why don't you source them from Mexico?"
A cable harness is the car’s wiring bundle that connects electronics. If the wiring isn’t the exact approved version for a plant, it can’t be swapped in easily.
A cable harness is the bundled wiring system that connects electrical components throughout a vehicle. Harnesses are often tightly specified and can be difficult to substitute across plants or regions due to fitment, supplier qualification, and regulatory approval.
business continuity plan
"But I think if you solve these kind of problems where you can have a BCP, business continuity plan, that you can use parts and components, which you use in other regions and start really routing them."
A business continuity plan is a company’s “backup plan” for when something disrupts normal operations. For carmakers, it can mean having alternate suppliers or approved parts ready to use.
A business continuity plan (BCP) is a documented strategy for keeping operations running during disruptions like war, natural disasters, or supplier shutdowns. In automotive supply chains, it often includes alternate suppliers, inventory buffers, and approved substitutions.
BCP
"But I think if you solve these kind of problems where you can have a BCP, business continuity plan, that you can use parts and components, which you use in other regions and start really routing them."
BCP stands for “business continuity plan.” It’s a plan for how a company keeps working even when parts or logistics get disrupted.
BCP is an acronym for “business continuity plan.” In the automotive context, it’s used to describe how manufacturers prepare to keep production going when suppliers or routes are disrupted.
one source
"But then you need to see at least not being depending on one source, let's say one location."
“One source” means relying on a single supplier or location for parts. If that supplier has problems, production can get stuck, so companies try to have alternatives.
The idea of not depending on “one source” is supply-chain diversification—having multiple suppliers or locations to reduce the risk of a single point of failure. The speaker contrasts moving sourcing closer to plants with the need to avoid over-concentration.
logistics cost
"Then you can decide what mode of transport am I using? What's the cost of logistics in such a way?"
Logistics cost is the total cost of moving parts and materials—transportation, warehousing, handling, and related expenses. In automotive supply chains, it can be influenced by shipping mode, distance, lead times, and border/trade friction.
mode of transport
"Then you can decide what mode of transport am I using? What's the cost of logistics in such a way?"
Mode of transport is the shipping method used to move parts (for example, ocean, air, rail, or truck). Different modes trade off cost, speed, and reliability, which affects inventory planning and production schedules.
geo risk
"I think, to me, sourcing strategy because of geo risk, I think is at this moment the most important one. And then labor cost and tax impact and logistic cost is then secondary in a way."
Geo risk means the risk tied to where things are made or shipped. If a region becomes unstable or rules change, parts can get delayed or become more expensive.
Geo risk is the risk that comes from geographic factors affecting supply—such as political instability, regulatory changes, trade restrictions, or regional disruptions. The speaker argues geo risk is a primary driver of sourcing decisions right now.
Nvidia
"[713.5s] Nvidia is betting on cars. [716.4s] And this week, I got a closer look at the company's strategy."
Nvidia makes computer chips and AI hardware. In cars, those chips help process sensor data so the vehicle can assist with driving tasks.
Nvidia is a semiconductor and AI computing company that supplies the hardware used for perception, planning, and other compute-heavy tasks in modern vehicles. In automotive contexts, it’s often discussed for enabling advanced driver-assistance and automated driving stacks.
Level 2 vehicle
"[727.5s] We talk inside of a moving, Nvidia-powered Level 2 vehicle about the company's automotive goals [734.1s] and how its chips are managing the complex tasks required for automated driving."
Level 2 means the car can help drive in some situations—like steering and controlling speed—but you still have to pay attention and be ready to take over. It’s not fully self-driving yet.
“Level 2” refers to SAE driver-assistance automation where the car can control steering and speed under certain conditions, but a human driver must monitor and be ready to take over. It’s more than basic cruise control, but not full autonomy.
chips
"[734.1s] and how its chips are managing the complex tasks required for automated driving. [739.8s] The industry is at an inflection point."
In automotive AI systems, “chips” typically means specialized processors (often GPUs/AI accelerators) that run perception and decision-making algorithms. They’re crucial because automated driving requires fast, real-time processing of sensor data.
Jensen Huang
"[745.3s] Plus, I'll recap Nvidia's GTC in San Jose, including why CEO Jensen Huang says autonomous [752.3s] driving tech is a solved problem."
Jensen Huang is Nvidia’s CEO and a prominent figure in AI and accelerated computing. His statements often influence how the industry interprets the maturity of AI and autonomy technologies.
GTC in San Jose
"[745.3s] Plus, I'll recap Nvidia's GTC in San Jose, including why CEO Jensen Huang says autonomous [752.3s] driving tech is a solved problem."
GTC is a big Nvidia conference where they talk about new AI and computing ideas. In car news, it’s where Nvidia often shares what it’s building for self-driving and smart vehicles.
GTC (GPU Technology Conference) is Nvidia’s major industry event focused on AI, accelerated computing, and related platforms. When discussed in automotive coverage, it often signals Nvidia’s latest work and partnerships for self-driving and in-vehicle AI.
IMSA
"[776.9s] The International Motorsports Association saw record ticket sales, unprecedented fan engagement [782.6s] on the Midway, and what IMSA President John Doonan calls an electric atmosphere."
IMSA is the organization behind a lot of major sports car races in North America. They oversee the series where teams compete in endurance events.
IMSA (International Motorsports Association) is a major North American sports car racing organization. It runs top endurance and prototype/GT racing series, including the WeatherTech Sports Car Championship.
12 hours of Sebring Endurance Race
"This weekend, the championship continued with the 12 hours of Sebring Endurance Race at Sebring International Raceway in Florida."
This is a race where teams compete for 12 hours straight. Because it’s so long, the cars have to stay reliable and teams have to manage tires, fuel, and pit stops.
The “12 Hours of Sebring” is a major endurance race where teams race for a fixed time rather than a set number of laps. Endurance formats emphasize reliability, pit strategy, and consistent lap times over outright sprint speed.
Mazda Mx5
"Even a single make like Mazda MX-5 Cup set a record entry for their series over time."
This is a racing series where most teams run the same model of car—the Mazda MX-5. Because the cars are similar, it’s easier to see who’s doing the best driving and strategy.
Mazda MX-5 Cup is a one-make racing series built around the Mazda MX-5 (Miata) platform. One-make formats reduce performance variables, so driver skill, setup, and race strategy become the main differentiators.
privateer teams
"where it's independent teams, privateer teams to, I'll call them factory-imbursed efforts, is at really an all-time high."
A privateer team is a racing team that isn’t fully paid for by a car company. They often have to manage budgets carefully compared with factory-backed teams.
Privateer teams are independently funded racing operations that aren’t directly backed by a manufacturer. In IMSA’s context, the mix of privateers and manufacturer-supported (“factory-imbursed”) efforts affects costs, competitiveness, and grid health.
WeatherTech
"that the television package we have with NBC is strong, that we provide stability, which is long-term partnership with WeatherTech,"
WeatherTech is a company that sponsors racing. Long-term sponsorship helps keep the racing series financially stable.
WeatherTech is a major automotive brand known for aftermarket vehicle accessories, and it also appears as a long-term partner in IMSA’s commercial ecosystem. Sponsorship like this helps fund series operations and supports stability for teams.
Michelin
"[898.3s] long-term partnership with Michelin. [900.3s] All those pieces fit together."
Michelin makes racing tires. When they partner with a racing series, it can help teams plan and compete more consistently.
Michelin is a major tire manufacturer and motorsport partner. In racing, tire supply and tire development can directly affect teams’ performance and the consistency of event planning.
calendar
"[905.3s] And we will, at SeaBring, in what, 40 some days, announce the 27 calendar. [911.3s] So we have a stability, but then you give an additional runway to teams [915.2s] for planning for the next season and beyond."
The “calendar” is the season schedule—when and where races happen. A stable schedule helps teams plan travel, staffing, and preparation.
In motorsports, the “calendar” is the official schedule of events across the season. The discussion here is about announcing the next year’s event dates and how stability in the schedule helps teams plan resources, logistics, and car development.
race weekends
"[923.6s] Yeah, I think one thing's for sure, we have got a really solid set of events [929.0s] where people are planning on such-and-such weekend at such-and-such venues. ... [954.3s] You know, you're capped by pit lane space and paddock and garage space, [959.7s] and also by the number of hours in the day."
A race weekend is the whole event block where teams practice and race, usually with multiple series. There are real-world limits like space in the pit area and how many hours the track can run in a day.
A “race weekend” is the full multi-day event window where practice, qualifying, and races happen, plus support series and fan activities. The scheduling constraints discussed here—pit lane, paddock/garage space, and daylight hours—are common limits that shape how many series can run together.
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