All Feature articles – Page 59
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Toyota and Suzuki look at India and export markets
Japanese OEMs Toyota and Suzuki are to consider extending their 15-month-old business partnership to work together on sales, production and technological development, with a focus on India and its export markets.Ideas to be further evaluated include using Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private (TKM) to produce models developed by Suzuki for sale ...
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Ford to make second model in Craiova
Ford is investing up to €200m ($235m) to manufacture a second vehicle at its Craiova assembly plant in Romania, saying the planned expenditure is a sign of the company’s trust in government promises to deliver key upgrades infrastructure and logistics improvements.“Ford has discussed with the government the key infrastructure projects ...
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Manta becoming regional hub for finished vehicles
The northern Ecuadorian port of Manta is looking to expand its role as a hub for finished vehicles and this month reached its full storage capacity for transhipped vehicle volumes.Manta only began operating regularly in the transshipment market as of July last year but in the third week of May ...
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Vehicle imports to Russia increase in the first quarter
Russia imported almost 67,000 finished vehicles during the first quarter 2018, up by just under 50% compared to the same period last year, according to a statement from the country’s Federal Customs Service. Imports over the period were equal to $1.65 billion.It is the first time in a decade that ...
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A hard look at software risks
Few people realise how much software runs today’s cars, observes Les Hatton, emeritus professor of forensic software engineering at Kingston University, UK. “We sit at home and can’t work out why the printer isn’t working, and then we’ll get in a car where there’s probably more software underneath,” he says. ...
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Carmakers and suppliers collaborate on containers
Honda, Toyota, GM, Nissan and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) have joined forces with 12 medium to large tier suppliers, two logistics providers and the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) on a data system providing accurate visibility over returnable containers at every stage of their movement between supplier and OEM.The Automotive ...
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FCA vehicles damaged by fire in Ohio
At least 20 new Jeep Wranglers have been damaged or destroyed in a fire at a storage lot in Toledo, Ohio. So far, the cause of the fire, which took place on Monday (May 21), remains unclear, though a report by local news source WTOL11 said fire investigators were treating ...
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China cuts import tariffs on vehicles and parts
China’s Ministry of Finance has announced that import duty on foreign-made cars will fall from 25% to 15% with effect from July 1, with tariffs on automotive parts dropping from around 10% to 6%.The move delivers on a promise by China’s president Xi Jinping last month that the country would ...
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Punch and XPT join forces on EV powertrains
Punch Powertrain and start-up XPT have signed a joint venture (JV) agreement to establish a manufacturing plant in Nanjing, China, to supply “hundreds of thousands” of electric powertrains a year.The companies will invest €10m ($11.7m) on the factory to produce state-of-the-art transmissions solely for electric vehicles.“Design and development of current ...
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Daimler Trucks opens ninth parts centre in North America
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has inaugurated its ninth parts distribution centre (PDC) in Grimes, Iowa, with the aim of providing a faster next-day delivery service for the aftermarket and a stronger focus on the customer.“With the opening of the PDC in Iowa, 80% of dealer order volume in the ...
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Mercedes-Benz to build compact EV in France
Germany’s Mercedes-Benz Cars has chosen the Hambach factory in France as its base for assembly of a compact electric car under its EQ brand, part of a wider expansion of the company’s electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing capabilities.Preparations for the new model will start shortly, with around €500m ($585m) being spent ...
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Yazaki given record fine over cartel conduct
Japanese parts supplier Yazaki has been ordered to pay an increased penalty of A$46m ($34.5m) by Australia’s federal court in respect of cartel conduct in the supply of wire harnesses used in the manufacture of the Toyota Camry.The decision follows an appeal by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), ...
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Ford restarts production after Meridian fire
Ford has resumed production of the F-150 and Super Duty pick-up trucks at its facilities in the US, following inbound supply chain disruption caused by a fire at its components supplier Meridian Magnesium Products earlier this month.The fire, which was followed by a number of explosions, took place at the ...
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Watch the Supply Chain Conference Live
The Supply Chain Conference – North America’s leading industry forum covering the automotive inbound and aftermarket parts sector – takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, this week. Two days of debate begin on Tuesday May 22 and will be streamed Live online.Click here to find out more about the conference, which ...
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Sweet home Alabama
One of the most popular songs about the US state of Alabama, ‘Sweet Home Alabama’, opens with the line “Big wheels keep on turning” – and indeed the number doing so is set to grow after the January announcement that a $1.6 billion Toyota-Mazda joint-venture manufacturing plant is scheduled to ...
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MBUSI: In a state of contentment
Why has Alabama become such a mecca for automotive manufacturing?I think there are a number of reasons. You have seen the automotive industry continue to push further south into areas where there is a good workforce available. You have infrastructure that is available. The supplier network has continued to migrate ...
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About ready to drop
DropCar’s mission is to “make driving fun again”, says Spencer Richardson, co-founder and CEO of the US-based start-up, which launched in New York City in 2015. The company decided to begin by offering an app-based service for car owners who live in urban areas where parking, car maintenance and even ...
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Clark seeks to reassure automotive sector on Brexit
British business minister Greg Clark (pictured) has suggested the UK government wants to avoid any new trade friction over the processing and transporting of automotive products with the European Union after Brexit, despite open disagreement among cabinet ministers over what sort of customs arrangement should be put in place. Clark, ...
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ICO expands car terminal at Zeebrugge
NYK’s car terminal subsidiary, International Car Operators (ICO), has signed a concession agreement with the Belgian port of Zeebrugge for a 54-hectare expansion of the Bastenaken car terminal.According to ICO, the new terminal will cover 200 hectares, bringing the total at Zeebrugge to 300 hectares, and will connect Bastenaken with ...
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Toyota logistics subsidiary buys Peach State
Bastian Solutions, the materials handling systems subsidiary of Toyota Advanced Logistics North America (TALNA), has acquired Peach State Integrated Technologies, a supply chain consulting, engineering and materials handling firm based in the US.“Peach State will greatly assist in our growth strategy, provide immediate strength to our company and ultimately help ...