All features articles – Page 41
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FeatureAudi special reports: A global outlook
Audi is exporting European best practices to support growing production ventures as far afield as China and Mexico
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FeatureAudi special report: Strong at the core
The complex nature of Audi’s German production requires highly planned and coordinated in-plant logistics processes and infrastructure
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FeatureAudi special report: Outbound delivery accuracy
The concept of Liefertreue, or delivery reliability, is central to Audi’s customer promise and consequently crucial in every aspect of the supply chain right up to the point of receipt at dealers, says Dr Michael Hauf, head of brand logistics (pictured)
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FeatureAudi special reports conclusion: Experts at managing change
Preventing unnecessary complexity can be just as important as managing it in Audi’s supply chain
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FeatureSymbols for better days ahead
The 2014 Automotive Logistics India conference, held in Gurgaon, revealed that despite years of lacklustre growth, the Indian automotive logistics industry has not lost its hope in its own potential. Buoyed by the reforms expected from the recently elected government, executives are now looking forward to ‘acche din’ Rachael Hogg ...
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FeatureYards apart
Wastefully expensive lots of inventory, or a vital link in the finished vehicle logistics chain? Operators are investing in technology and process innovations to make storage yards work harder.For the industry that invented lean production and the concept of single-piece flow, the sight of thousands of valuable vehicles sitting stationary ...
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FeatureImproving the dotted line
Many would characterise contracts between OEMs and vehicle logistics providers as being highly price focused and short term. But executives on both sides of the negotiating table are interested in agreeing terms that would encourage investment and deeper collaboration in the outbound supply chain. Many executives at finished vehicle logistics ...
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FeatureThe unexpected rise of Hambantota port
While it may seem an unlikely destination, the Sri Lankan port is a growing automotive hub for transhipments from Asia to global markets. The right mix of incentives, capacity and shipping links have been catching OEMs' attention.Sri Lanka, the island nation off the southeast coast of southern India doesn’t manufacture ...
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FeatureMagna puts more in providers’ hands
As tier suppliers take over more content and engineering in the automotive supply chain, the scope for logistics providers to increase their services and value to companies such as Magna is growing.For decades, the automotive supply chain has seen considerable product development and engineering spread from OEMs to the supply ...
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FeatureAnalysis: logistics in China still needs to shift from big to strong
Automotive logistics providers in the world’s largest market might be saying the right things but the industry lacks transparency in many areas. Christopher Ludwig provides a résumé of the market following an important industry gatheringExecutives at Chinese automotive and logistics companies speak a remarkably similar language when it comes to ...
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FeatureMoving into an up-and-coming neighbourhood
While comparisons have been made between Australia and South Africa’s automotive industry, and concerns are growing, experts in the country believe the country has to take advantage of logistics and proximity to potential markets such as Nigeria.South Africa’s automotive industry could share a similar fate to Australia, where OEMs are ...
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FeatureTaking your hands off the wheel
As driving and park-assist technology becomes more prevalent in trucks today, experts look ahead to what a future with self-driving trucks would mean for logistics and the automotive supply chain.Driverless cars entered the public imagination in force several years ago, when the media started following the development of the self-driving ...
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FeatureSouth America: Where logistics can hurt you
The 2014 South America conference proved that inefficient logistics can not only disrupt production, but can hurt long-term growth. OEMs in Brazil are looking for ways to improve the supply chain and avoid falling further behind other countries. During previous Automotive Logistics South America conferences, executives worried about Brazil’s logistics ...
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FeatureCase study: the more the merrier for Volvo’s rail freight
Volvo Group has recently turned to a logistics provider to sell excess rail capacity on routes between Europe and Sweden. The multi-party arrangement is an example of how consolidating freight across industries may support more efficient rail services.Transporting automotive material by rail is common for inter-plant movements, such as moving ...
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FeatureContract logistics providers call for tender mercies
The growth in contract logistics continues apace, but the length of contracts issued by manufacturers to service providers is too short, as is the lead time offered to implement the services needed. This is a problem exacerbated by the complexity of the services required.This was the view contested during a ...
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FeatureECG Conference: filling in the delivery gaps
As ECG 2014 came to an end in Amsterdam, a panel of logistics experts discussed their hopes and challenges for the future. Objectives centred around improving visibility and communication, with methods that include both technology and better relationshipsAlthough Europe’s recovery in vehicle sales has so far been small, the Amsterdam ...
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FeatureECG Conference: Regulation, regulation, regulation
Brussels came to Amsterdam to discuss the potential impacts of upcoming European regulations, from sulphur restrictions to land transport weights and measures. Lawmakers stressed the need for industry, member states and EU bodies to work together better to shape policy.“Transport is the backbone of society” said Maximilian Strotmann, member of ...
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FeatureChange on the horizon
More than 200 delegates at this year’s ECG Conference in Amsterdam heard that sales and production in Europe are on the rise, but that both the economy and the industry suffer from considerable fragmentation.A market growing, but with wide variation, inconsistency and divergence; an economic region integrated, yet with conflicting ...
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FeatureSustainability and packaging dominate Magna Europe awards
Magna Logistics Europe has recognised six companies in its 2014 Innovation Awards, with solutions addressing supply chain complexity, carbon reduction and packaging efficiency taking top honours.An RFID tracking device for air freight by technology provider TAGnology took first place in the ‘Supply Chain Innovation’ category, while Virtual Vehicle won the ...
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FeatureIndia’s antitrust ruling could unleash spare parts market
While spare parts have been widely available from a variety of suppliers in Europe and the US for many years, India and China has traditionally been a very closed market. However, all this could be about to change.Fines penalising carmakers in India for cornering the spare parts market may help ...