All articles by Chris Ludwig – Page 15
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Global launches and economic absurdity
While any economic risks remain, carmakers are entering a phase of aggressive product launch and expansion. This is especially true at Daimler, which has set its targets on Audi and BMW’s luxury crown by 2020 with a slew of new models, plants and product refreshes. What’s significant about this plan ...
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Tier one complexity and fresh looks
Our October-December coverage has dedicated a lot of space to the logistics management of tier one suppliers, including Magna International, the Behr Group and Johnson Controls International. Their prominence is no coincidence, as suppliers’ supply chain management is becoming more important. With carmakers such as the Volkswagen Group producing vehicles on ...
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Seeing logistics as more than 'waste'
OEMs building logistics centres at plants is a good sign for the supply chain management sectorCarmakers have historically viewed logistics as pure cost rather than as investment. One Ford executive, speaking at our European conference a few years ago, even went so far as to say the company saw freight ...
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Daimler's premium ambition
Egon Christ (left), senior manager for worldwide vehicle transportation and logistics at Daimler, reveals how the OEM plans to get the best from its logistics providers as it ramps up global productionIn this story...Global premium takeoverLogistics as a commodityPlanning and purchasingSmoothing distributionHub-and-spoke successTracking performanceNew ideas for NAFTAStandards in ChinaAlready the ...
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Shake up for North American supply chain revealed at AL Global
“We see more production from Japan and Korea moving to Mexico and also to the southern US states,” said Michael Robinet, managing director of IHS Automotive Consulting. “We will soon see more European models coming over to North America out of the euro zone or South Africa to be closer ...
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Yusen Logistics prepares for South Africa move
The importance of South Africa as an emerging automotive hub was demonstrated this week with the news that Yusen Logistics, part of Japan's NYK Group, is set to open a representative office in the country this month. Yusen’s president Hiromitsu Kuramoto will open the new office in Johannesburg. Employees there ...
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Penske establishes HQ and MD for Mexico
Third party logistics provider Penske Logistics has established a headquarters for its growing Mexican operations in Saltillo. The company has also appointed Michael Casidy (pictured) to the newly created position of managing director for Mexico.Penske has been present in Mexico for 17 years, and has built up a strong presence ...
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Growth and other good problems to have in North American supply chains
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Toledo wins 3rd GM/Wayne State supply chain competition
Twenty American universities gathered in Detroit last week to give presentations on supply chain cases provided by General Motors, tackling subjects like sourcing battery cells in Asia to expanding rail links and supplier localisation in the US.The University of Toledo was the winner of the General Motors/Wayne State supply chain ...
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Logistics and outsourced labour
Thousands of outsourced logistics workers will stage a symbolic mini-strike against DHL and Jaguar Land Rover in a protest against pay and the use of contracted labour. Is it a sign of greater risks in the supply chain?The dispute that has simmered this summer in the UK between Unite, the ...
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Imperial eyes China-Africa trade in joint venture
South Africa’s Imperial Logistics has started a joint venture with advisory and procurement firm, The Beijing Axis, with a view towards capturing more business between Asia and Africa.Imperials’ chief integration officer, Cobus Rossouw, said the partnership was looking to benefit growing trade between China and Africa, which analysts have said ...
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Mahindra said to be building a plant in Ghana
Indian vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra is reported to be planning an automotive assembly plant and service centre in Ghana, which would serve demand in the country and its neighbours in West Africa. According to India’s SME Times, the Indian SUV and pick-up truck OEM will build the plant on ...
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Skoda begins assembly of Octavia in India
Skoda has begun production of the new Octavia at its factory in Aurangabad, India, which is assembled from kits built in the Czech Republic. The new Octavia, which was launched in Europe in late 2012, arrives in India following investments to reduce manufacturing and logistics costs at the carmaker’s Indian ...
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UPDATE: Ford’s Steve Harley will lead European production changes as Grant Belanger takes over as head of MP&L
Ford will have a new but familiar head of global logistics this autumn, as Grant Belanger returns to the US to replace Steve Harley, who will be leading projects to shift models from Belgium to Spain and Germany.*This story has been updated from its original version following an interview with ...
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India’s Hindustan Motors outsources Mitsubishi spare parts warehouse to TVS
India’s Hindustan Motors has outsourced a spare parts warehouse to TVS Logistics Services that serves the Mitsubishi models the carmaker produces for the Indian market. The logistics provider will take over Hindustan’s parts distribution centre (PDC) at its Tiruvallur plant near Chennai.In a statement, TVS Logistics Services said that Hindustan, ...
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Kerry increases Latin American presence with stake in Mexican provider
Kerry Logistics will continue an expansion in Latin America by taking a majority stake in Cargo Master's Group (CMG), a Mexico-based logistics and freight forwarding company. Kerry Logistics did not disclose how much it would pay for CMG or the exact stake that it would hold. In a statement the ...
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K Line opens warehouse at Yangshang port
Japanese shipping and logistics group K Line has opened a 44,000 square metre warehouse near the Yangshang deep-water port, near Shanghai, that will handle a variety of cargo, including automotive parts. K Line’s joint venture in China, K Line Zhenhua Logistics (Shanghai), opened the warehouse last week at a logistics ...
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DHL Supply Chain will manage logistics for VW Group UK’s press fleet
The Volkswagen Group has awarded DHL Supply Chain a three-year contract to manage its UK press fleet operations, including the preparation, delivery and collection of press vehicles.Operations will be based at a 3,000 square metre facility in Milton Keynes close to the Volkswagen Group’s head office in the UK. The ...
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Ceva happy for stability in second quarter earnings
Third party logistics provider Ceva has reported a small drop in revenue and profits for the second quarter of 2013 compared to 2012, although the company’s chief financial officer said the company was “very satisfied” that it had found stability following a recapitalisation this past May. The company also pointed ...
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Chep adds foldable large container for European automotive industry
Packaging-pooling provider Chep has added a foldable large container (FLC) sized for the European automotive market to its fleet of returnable equipment. The container, called FLC 1208, is based on the standard 1,200 x 800mm size of European pallets, which is currently used in the majority of warehousing and transport ...