After ten years as Ford of Europe's manager for vehicle planning, logistics and customs, Dr Hans-Bert Bong will take over responsibility for Ford's material flow and supply chain management in Europe from 1st July.
Bong, who has been the manager of vehicle logistics and customs at the company since 2001, has been instrumental during that time in helping to engineer a Ford distribution system that is notable for its extensive use of multimodal transport, including short-sea and river-barge shipping and rail transport.
Bong has overseen many changes within Ford's vehicle logistics strategy, including its response to the European Commission objectives for expanding short sea shipping on the so-called 'motorways of the sea' directive. The approach is one Ford of Europe has long since subscribed to, with around 30% of its freight spend for vehicle distribution allocated to sea and river transport, with another 30% spent on rail and the balance taken up on truck transport.
Bong's successor in vehicle logistics will be Helen Clarke, who will be based out of the UK.
Bong has given a final interview reflecting on his decade in the job in the forthcoming issue of Finished Vehicle Logistics magazine (July-September) starting on page 16.
Bradley Childs has moved from his role as director of business planning at Glovis USA to take up a new role at US finished vehicle carrier, Proficient Auto Transport, as vice president of sales and operations. Based in Florida, Proficient Auto Transport specialises in new import and luxury car haulage and provides services for a wide range of carmakers including BMW, VW, Nissan, Hyundai-Kia (arranged through Glovis USA), Toyota, Mercedes Benz and Porsche amongst others.
Childs took up the new role at the beginning of June and told Automotive Logistics News that he had admired the company for its management team, diverse customers base "and the best looking equipment in the business".
"A couple of months ago, Proficient's board of directors approved an aggressive expansion plan," said Childs. "Fortunately, this expansion plan opened up an opportunity for me as their vice president of sales and operations. This role will help guide Proficient through their expansion and beyond by focusing on customer service and operational excellence."
Childs has extensive experience in the finished vehicle logistics sector, spanning finance sales and operational areas, making the new role "a natural fit and a welcome return to the carhaul industry," he said.
That experience includes around eight years with Allied Automotive Group in Operations and Sales as regional controller, then manager of the Florida region moving over 200,000 cars annually with 150 drivers. He progressed to become vice president of sales at Allied Automotive in 2006 before moving on to a chief financial officer role at Legendary Marine in 2008 and then onto his most recent role at Glovis.
"I enjoyed my time at Glovis and wish them the best in the future. They are a customer of Proficient, but when this opportunity materialised I couldn't turn it down," said Childs. "Now it is time to focus on making Proficient the 'carrier of choice'. This is an exciting time and I look forward to the future."
Tom Loveless has been promoted to an executive vice president position at Kia Motors America. Loveless joined the company in 2007 as vice president of sales and is responsible for all retail and fleet sales operations, as well as all distribution and logistics.
Kia said that since his arrival, the Kia brand had seen consistent growth that included best-ever year-end market share totals each year and had achieved 21 consecutive monthly sales records through May 2012.
In another move at the company Bob Kuntze, director of distribution and logistics, has been promoted to an executive director position.
Keith Buford is the new director of international business development at US transport logistics and expedited freight services provider ICAT Logistics.
Buford began his freight career in 1986 as an international clerk and opened his own Houston-based logistics business in 1995, which he sold 10 years later to Team Worldwide, becoming vice president of international development for the company. His responsibilities included building the international product, creating growth for the offices in the system, customs brokerage and compliance issues. In 2009 he became the managing director and part owner of an agency for Seko Worldwide in Houston before he left to join the ICAT team.
"It was clear to me early in our discussions that ICAT had not only the growth focus, but also the core values and culture that I was looking for in a company," said Buford. "The energy from the entire team was contagious and I knew right away this was a place I wanted to be. I could not be more pleased to be part of the ICAT Logistics team and I am excited about building on that momentum."
"Having Keith come on board only reiterates our company's goal to hire the best and brightest in the industry," said Icat CEO Rick Campbell, "We feel he will be a great asset in developing business, strengthening relationships and fueling ICAT's growth."
Geodis Wilson has appointed Sergio Herrero as its new director of the Marine Logistics division. Based in Miami, Florida, Sergio will spearhead what is an emerging industry segment of Geodis Wilson, and will have global responsibility for its development.
Herrero joins Geodis Wilson with 30 years of experience in the freight forwarding industry, the last five years of which he has spent with the Marine Logistics sector at UTI USA, where he was director of Client Solutions within the cruise sector.
