A great chance to get together with your fellow delegates in a relaxed atmosphere before the summit starts. Our cocktail reception provides an excellent forum in which to exchange views and contact details with some of the finest minds in the Mexican automotive logistics sector. Bring lots of business cards…

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Join us to collect your badge, enjoy a bite to eat and start the conversation with your fellow delegates.

One way and the other, Mexico looks likely to be facing a huge amount of change in the near future. Between uncertainties over future levels of demand for vehicles in the region and ongoing negotiations over the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) – the outcome of which could turn current automotive production and logistics patterns right across North America on their head – devising the right strategy for tomorrow’s trading environment isn’t easy.

Come to this opening session to discover:
• What the main issues are that will affect the Mexican automotive industry in coming years
• How soon and how widely their effects could be felt
• What organisations involved in the automotive sector can start doing to prepare

This flagship conference session will see a number of high-profile industry influencers from government, associations and analysts share their vision of how Mexico’s automotive sector is likely to develop.

Amalia Espinosa López Automotive Industry Director Secretariat of the Economy
Jose Garcia Torres President US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce
Andreas Müller Deputy Director CAMEXA, German Mexican Chamber of Commerce and Industry German Mexican Chamber of Commerce
Brandon Mason Automotive Director and Mobility Leader PwC

An excellent chance to discuss the opening session with your peers over light refreshments.

With more premium carmakers setting up in Mexico, there is a clear need to reach for ever more impressive standards in terms of manufacturing capabilities. But just how can carmakers and logistics service providers ensure they really achieve this?

Find out here:
• What improvements need to be made to current production operations, inbound and outbound logistics networks to allow Mexico’s vehicle manufacturing operations to become truly world-class
• Where the biggest gains are to be made – and which supply chain partners are in the best position to make them

Attend this session to develop a deeper understanding of how far Mexico’s vehicle manufacturing sector has come, where it is looking to go next, and the role it expects the automotive supply chain that supports it to play in its plans.

Peter Koltai Director Production Control & Logistics Audi Mexico
Karl-Friedrich Koch Vice President Production Control, Logistics, VPS - Plant San Luis Potosi Mexico BMW Group
Volker Vossler Vice President of Operations, Mexico Schnellecke Logistics

Our popular Automotive Logistics Think Tanks are back! This series of practical, interactive group discussions will provide an invaluable opportunity to talk directly with key industry figures and peers about the issues that matter most to you.

This year’s Think Tanks will cover topics of special interest to the Mexican automotive industry, based on input in advance from the delegates themselves. Confirmed topics so far include:

Supply Chain Disruptions in Mexico
Leader: Roberto Cruz Business Development Director Ryder

Tracking finished vehicles
Leader: Michael Silvio Vice President, Logistics Innovation Surgere

Automotive Logistics: What if...?
Leader: Simon Hoffman Vice President Operation Mexico Schnellecke

Ground transportation & cross border
Leader: Uriel Verazzi General Manager – Laredo RJ & Sons

Vehicle logistics - damage prevention and security
Leader: Scott Goodwin Director OEM KhS Know-How Systems Global

Controlling logistics costs in 2018
Leader: John Woods Executive VP, Sales Protrans

e-vehicle boom and implications on supply chains
Leader: Achim Glass Head of Global Automotive Vertical, SVP Kuehne + Nagel

Don’t miss this opportunity to pick the brains of leading thinkers in this field and share your own valuable insights about a variety of topics in these vibrant, round-table exchanges.

Your chance to discuss the key issues of the day so far with fellow delegates over light refreshments.

The automotive and logistics industries are changing right around the world. As elsewhere, new approaches and new technology are revolutionising both inbound and outbound supply chains in Mexico, as well as the core manufacturing process itself.

This session will consider:
• What new supply chain approaches are being implemented
• Where the biggest disruptions are taking place
• How far digitisation of the supply chain currently goes – and how far it will go in the future
• What those involved in Mexico’s automotive supply chains need to do to ensure they stay ahead of the game

Come and discover just how far your supply chain operation will need to go to keep up with all the latest trends and technology.

Sven Dharmani Principal, Advisory Services Ernst & Young
Joe Carlier Senior Vice President of Global Sales Penske
Achim Glass Head of Global Automotive Vertical, SVP Kuehne + Nagel
Keith Schall Director of Technology Solutions Chep

Mexico’s transport and logistics infrastructure remains under massive strain, with urgent improvements still needed on its roads and railways and in its ports to help reduce congestion, raise throughput, ensure cargo security and provide the kind of support the automotive sector really needs. In warehousing, however, the groundwork for the future is in place, with a strategic mix of innovative technology helping to deliver end-to-end supply chain execution, control and agility.

Listen in as leading lights in the Mexican logistics sector outline:

• Where the biggest improvements are currently needed
• What hurdles need to be crossed to allow them to take place
• How quickly Mexico can realistically get its transport infrastructure up to speed
• What the automotive logistics sector can do in the meantime

Find out in this session what Mexico is doing to upgrade its logistics networks in future and what those in the automotive logistics sector should be doing to make the most of the infrastructure that is already in place.

Ricardo Alvarez Director of Solutions & Business Development Ryder México
Rafael Lopez Material Planning and Logistics Director Ford Mexico
Carlos Lazzeri MP & L Director BOCAR Group
Gabriel Guzman District Sale Manager Gefco

Chew over the infrastructure developments discussed in today’s opening session with your colleagues as you enjoy some light refreshments.

Despite considerable advances to date, Mexico’s logistics infrastructure is still in need of further development, if it is to provide adequate support to the country’s booming automotive sector. This session will examine some of the key projects currently being undertaken across various transport modes and consider their impact on supply chains to, from and within the country.

Marco Anaya NAFTA Damage Prevention and Claims Manager - Vehicle Logistics FCA North America
Luz Eugenia Torres Díaz Commercial Manager Puerto de Veracruz
Antonio Zepeda Commercial Director Grupo CSI
Roberto Zavala Director General Country Manager WWL Vehicle Services

Our second extended networking lunch gives delegates another great chance to circulate and connect with all the vehicle makers, tier suppliers, logistics service providers, infrastructure operators, sponsors and exhibitors at the event.

Bringing the conference to a close, top logistics executives from vehicle makers, parts suppliers and logistics providers take part in a final question-and-answer session, revealing how they expect automotive logistics in Mexico to change and what they – and others – need to do about it.

Don’t miss this chance to contribute to the debate as the conference draws up its action plan for the future.

Karl-Friedrich Koch Vice President Production Control, Logistics, VPS - Plant San Luis Potosi Mexico BMW Group
Joe Carlier Senior Vice President of Global Sales Penske
Rafael Lopez Material Planning and Logistics Director Ford Mexico