All features articles – Page 31
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FeatureFCA realigns output in North America as Jeep heads south
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is making changes to its production pattern in North America as part of efforts to focus its plants on larger, more profitable vehicles. The changes, which include the shifting of some Jeep production from the US to Mexico, have some substantial implications for its supply base ...
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FeatureChina conference: local logistics providers go global… to survive
As Chinese growth slows, and the government encourages more market reforms, Chinese automotive logistics providers are increasingly looking beyond their own borders to offer international freight services and capture new clients, writes Christopher Ludwig. Contribution by Rachael Hogg.As vehicle production and sales growth accelerated in China over the past decade, ...
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FeatureChina conference: Debating which way to go from here
At the end of Automotive Logistics China 2016, held in Chengdu, industry decisions makers and experts discussed the importance of better logistics planning and engineering, reducing costs to stay competitive, and adapting to new technology.China’s growth continues to push the automotive supply chain and distribution network across the country, spreading ...
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FeatureChep names new director for European accounts
Container pooling provider Chep Automotive and Industrial Solutions has named Richard Campbell (pictured) as director of European key accounts. Campbell, who is also a member of the Automotive Executive Team, replaces Stephen Smith, who left the company last year, and moves from his role as global sales manager at automotive ...
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FeatureStubborn EU member states holding back digitalisation in logistics
The majority of EU member states are still dragging their heels when it comes to the adoption of digital freight transport documents, despite the signing of a protocol back in 2011 that paved the way for their adoption, attendees at a dinner debate on digitalisation in logistics were told last ...
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FeatureChina conference: preparing for the new and the old, for growth and decline
The 11th annual Automotive Logistics China conference was held for the first time in the south-western city of Chengdu, a symbol of the automotive industry’s westward development and the centre of the revival of the old ‘Silk Road’ trade routes emphasised by the government’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ policy. Christopher ...
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Analysis: PSA ‘product blitz’ will put the focus on its supply chain
'Push to Pass' plan will involve the launch of 26 new cars by 2021 with more local manufacturing in some areasPSA Peugeot-Citroën has announced some big organisational changes recently, both in terms of its group divisions and its approach to customer trends, with some big consequences for its supply ...
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FeatureChina-Europe rail: The road less travelled
The old Silk Road that connected China to Europe rose to significant prominence during the seventh and eighth centuries, when not only was silk moved from China but also spices, paper and noodles across Eurasia. The route has been disrupted and dismantled many times during the last millennium or more, ...
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FeatureMore than a name to change...
What do automotive companies mean by ‘logistics’ and ‘supply chain’? Automotive Logistics looks at whether OEM and supplier organisations reflect the sector’s changing demands and technologyThe logic is clear: it doesn’t matter how efficient your factories and delivery networks are if they are churning out products nobody wants to buy. ...
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FeatureOnline marketplace: Control-alt-compete
Online marketplaces have transformed the way consumers find, choose and buy many products and services. Could they realistically do the same for automotive logistics?Disintermediation was one of the uglier words to emerge from the turn-of-the-century ‘dot com’ boom (and bust), but the idea was a compelling one: internet technologies would ...
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FeatureTwo wheels good?
From sales drops to shifting uses in different markets, the outbound demands for two-wheelers are changingVehicle logistics in Europe is, of course, not limited to passenger cars, SUVs, vans and trucks, even if collectively, these products account for a huge majority of the products that specialised car carriers, shipping lines ...
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FeatureUS car carriers: Driving an open highway
High sales and low fuel costs are favouring US car carriers, with many investing in equipment, infrastructure and technologyDespite an unsteady global economy and falling financial markets, North American car carriers have been tearing up the road with profits and operating efficiencies. Benefitting from an expanding manufacturing base, record vehicle ...
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FeatureIn-depth analysis: strong logistics and supply base central to Ford’s new Mexico plant
Ford is the latest carmaker to plan a new assembly plant in Mexico with the announcement that it will invest $1.6 billion in a factory in San Luis Potosi to produce compact cars from 2018.The plant is aimed at making the assembly of smaller cars more profitable for the company, ...
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FeatureRussia: Buried under the rouble
With a bad situation in Russia expected to get even worse this year, Russian logistics providers are doing all they can to hold on to businessIn 2015, the Russian automotive logistics sector felt the effects of the country’s car sales crisis, with the demand for service providers throughout Russia falling ...
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FeatureAll change for Aussie rules
After manufacturing comes to a close next year, will the finished vehicle logistics industry in Oz come good – or cark it?The end of car assembly in Australia is imminent and with it, comes a change to the face of the industry. This year, Ford is set to shut its ...
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FeatureConsolidation in logistics: Big fish eat the little fish...
The big players in automotive logistics are getting bigger after a record year for mergers and acquisitions, with middle players at particular risk of being subsumed. So will this trend continue?There has been a growing trend for consolidation in the third party logistics sector over the past few years, including ...
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FeatureUnpacking conventional wisdom
Whether one-way or returnable, owned by OEMs and tier suppliers or rented from specialist providers, current packaging models are being re-evaluated in the search for efficiency and cost-savings. Within the North American manufacturing operations of global automotive supplier Magna International, a fascinating pilot project is underway. After a year-long study ...
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FeatureMahle Behr: Experiencing a Thermal change
Mahle Behr’s takeover of Delphi Thermal Systems in 2015 sparked a process of systems integration, freight consolidation and supply chain redesign that is set to last a further three years.Last year was a record one for global acquisition and mergers within the automotive supply chain. Consulting firm PwC estimated the ...
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FeatureEuropean ports survey: Rising volume and risky conditions
Our 2015 survey finds that, with imports in particular on the rise, some ports have experienced capacity issues despite investments in connectivity, capacity and information technology. Meanwhile, others are suffering as a result of geopolitical and broader economic instability. Contribution by Christopher LudwigAcross the European continent last year, from Scandinavia ...
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FeatureNorth American rail: One door closes, another opens
North American railways have seen big falls in revenue as a result of drops in energy commodities, but the rise in automotive presents an opportunity to capture more business and better serve customersOver the past year there has been a major shift in certain commodity shipment volumes across North American ...