For years, executives in the automotive industry have been asking why they can track the delivery of a gadget or book from Amazon down to the hour of arrival, and yet they can't see where expensive parts and vehicles are? Now they will have the chance to ask the source itself at this year’s Automotive Logistics Europe conference, to be held in Bonn next week.
Alfonso Serrano, head of Instock Management for Automotive at Amazon, will be speaking about its future dynamics in logistics during a session on the aftermarket, which will be moderated by Stephan Freichel from the Cologne University of Applied Sciences. The e-commerce giant has the automotive aftermarket as a key business sector, and is sure to offer lessons and points of departure for how to run supply chains in the digital age.
Along with Amazon, the conference will also a live demonstration of damage repair and a modern-day star of car design.
Damage repair specialist KHS will have a car, intense lighting and a working demonstration within the conference area. The unfortunate vehicle will be subject to frequent dents and bumps, and KHS plans to return it to pristine condition each time.
Meanwhile, the conference dinner will feature Chris Bangle, former head of BMW design, with his unique insights into the future of the car. Bangle is among the most famous of modern car designers, and in his 16-year reign at BMW introduced design themes which generated both sales and controversy, sometimes at the same time.
This year sees the 13th annual edition of the conference, which will as usual bring together key executives from OEMs, tier suppliers and LSPs, along with EU officials and consultants and academics.
Other key speakers from carmakers at the conference include: Carlos Lahoz, director of sales business planning and supply chain at Kia Europe; Andreas Ginkel, director of logistics at Opel/Vauxhall; Lutz Quietmeyer and Laurent Kerloch, respectively the general manager for inbound logistics and general manager for global vehicle logistics at Renault Nissan; Guy Lederer, finished vehicle supply chain direction for PSA Peugeot Citroen; and Geert Bruyneel, vice-president of supplier quality and logistics at Volvo Cars.
The two-day event is being held at the luxurious Hotel Kameha Grand on the banks of the river Rhine, outside Bonn. It kicks off with a cocktail reception on the preceding evening of Tuesday March 10th, with extensive networking throughout and the gala dinner on the middle evening, Wednesday March 11th. The conference itself will include breakout streams focusing on core challenges like supply chain complexity, standards and sustainability, as well as specialisations like in-plant logistics, technology and packaging.
All proceedings and social activities are included in the single delegate fee, as is use of the conference app for messages to fellow delegates and Q&A. See the conference pages on the Events tab of this site for details, or register here to join colleagues and competitors at perhaps the most the most significant European automotive supply chain event of the year.
- If you are not able to be in Bonn, the principal sessions of Automotive Logistics Europe will be video streamed via our Live service, this year courtesy of sponsor Sovereign Business Integration. Register free here (if you attend in person your registration includes access to the video)
