All features articles – Page 14
-
NewsWood you believe it? Materials handling with a difference
A new company based in Chemnitz is seeking to overturn conventional wisdom when it comes to material handling equipment – by using wood as a construction material
-
NewsTariffs, trade and technology: A new era for European automotive industry
The European logistics sector is undergoing unprecedented change. Britain’s exit from the EU and the red tape of regulation are among its biggest challenges, delegates heard at the Automotive Logistics Global Munich conference last week.
-
FeatureRunning out of juice – will demand for battery materials outstrip supply?
As OEMs accelerate their EV programmes, there is growing concern that demand for battery materials will outstrip supply. Gavin du Venage considers the risks
-
FeatureNorth American ports go in search of the promised land
US east coast ports have been grabbing land to handle increased volumes while some on the west coast deal with dramatic volume fluctuations. In Mexico, meanwhile, private investment is helping to deal with congestion. Marcus Williams reports on the performance of North American vehicle handling ports in 2018
-
InterviewBlockchain: Potential unlocked?
Vehicle-makers, tier supplies and logistics providers are progressing with ‘digital ledger’ technology that provides greater visibility and control over complex supply chains
-
FeatureLogistics 4.0: how smart technologies are lifting logistics to another level
After a period of exploration, OEMs, tier suppliers and logistics providers are getting serious about making their operations smarter and more connected – Logistics 4.0 is here
-
FeatureStronger ties: Growth of a new Silk Road
Increased investment in rail services across Eurasia is contributing to rising volumes of automotive shipments via this mode – not only components but finished vehicles as well
-
FeatureNissan North America: On track to cut container pool shrinkage
Container pool shrinkage is an issue that has a costly impact on OEMs and tier suppliers across the automotive industry. At various points in the extended supply chains which support today’s vehicle manufacturing operations, containers go missing, are misused or are even stolen to be resold and used elsewhere
-
InterviewCentre of the world: How the Middle East is growing in importance for automotive
With vehicle sales on the rise and multiple free trade zones under development, the Middle East is attracting greater attention from the automotive industry than ever before
-
FeatureAutonomy ahoy: Shipping industry moves toward crewless vessels
Autonomous vehicles have been attracting a lot of attention as the automotive industry pushes towards future mobility. But what is the potential for autonomous ships?
-
FeatureSouth Africa's dream of an EV supply base
Despite negligible EV sales at home, South Africa is looking to become an exporter of their components and is putting an incentives scheme into place. But can it succeed?
-
FeatureAll mixed up: the impact of the SUV trend on European car carriers
Volumes of finished vehicles may have recovered from the recession, but users and manufacturers of car transporters are now having to handle a very different array of vehicles, including larger and heavier models – with implications for capacity utilisation
-
FeatureWhy all eyes are on Israel for AI
In the race to perfect autonomous driving, Israel has proven to be a hotspot of technological innovation – driven, in part, by its military expertise and surveillance tools
-
FeatureDelivering a smarter factory
Magna Steyr’s vehicle assembly plant in the Austrian city of Graz is not a typical automotive factory; the site, which in 2018 brought its cumulative total production tally to 3.5m vehicles, produces vehicles under contract for OEMs such as Daimler, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover. Efficiency is important in any ...
-
FeatureFlight club: Why more logistics operations are signing up to drone technology
Impressive advancements have been made in drone technology over the last few years and many believe that drones will play a key role in the logistics of the future, for internal business functions as well as deliveries to consumers. In fact, NASA estimates that there will be 7m drones in ...
-
FeatureChallenging times for US car carriers
Despite some recent legislative wins on permissible overhangs, rig length and adaptable trailers, the US car-carrier sector continues to face a number of operational challenges, including a capacity squeeze, more demanding customers and downward price pressure
-
FeatureWorking together to drive out disruption
In the context of testing trade relations and new technology in supply chains, finished vehicle logistics providers need to work out how to position themselves for the future, delegates heard at April’s FVL North America conference in Huntington Beach, California
-
FeatureToyota North America: Breaking down supply chain barriers
Toyota is realigning its production and service parts organisation by integrating its inbound and aftermarket supply chain departments into a new division called PDAD. Group vice-president of the new division, Alok Vaish, explains the thinking behind it
-
FeatureA transformation for China's automotive landscape
Carmakers, logistics providers and tier suppliers joined the heads of China’s leading trade associations in Shanghai this year to assess the sweeping changes taking place in the country’s automotive market. As regulators seek to support business during the slowdown, trade upheaval continues but so does the growth in digitalisation and ...
-
FeatureUS car market stable as trade and tech change
George Peterson, president of analyst firm Auto Pacific The US economy is in good health, consumer confidence is high and vehicle sales are expected to total 16.6m this year, delegates were told at this week’s Finished Vehicle Logistics North America conference. The bad news is that the ...