All features articles – Page 44
-
FeatureMoving towards integration in Southeast Asia
Potential customs harmonisation among the ten ASEAN nations could see Thailand at the centre of a global automotive powerhouse, with big implications for logisticsThailand continues to hold much promise for the automotive industry. Home to many of the world’s largest carmakers and tier suppliers, it should also receive a boost ...
-
FeatureRealities of a risky business
OEMs would love to reduce their insurance premiums, but with catastrophic damage more frequent, they may have to risk their balance sheets to achieve thisWhen Superstorm Sandy made landfall on the eastern seaboard of the US in October 2012, hurricane-force high winds were just one problem. Another was the enormous ...
-
FeatureRussia at a standstill
The market continues to fall, while transport capacity is exiting the market at an alarming rate. Even with prospects for long-term growth, the lack of investment could mean Russia will struggle to move the goods again when customers return to show rooms. We report from the Automotive Logistics Russia conference ...
-
FeatureA star still on the rise in Brazil
Toyota is a fast-growing player in the huge but difficult Brazilian market. Growth has helped the carmaker apply more lean logistics principles to its vehicle distribution.The inclusion of Brazil in the BRIC group of emerging nations more than a decade ago put the country of more than 200m inhabitants in ...
-
FeatureThe power of recall
Recalls and a carmaker's ability to carry them out efficiently can have an effect not just on public relations, but on the company’s bottom line and share price. LSPs are increasingly getting involved.In the late morning of April 10th 2014, the general manager of University Volkswagen Mazda, a car ...
-
FeatureDawn of a new era
With production set to start this year, JLR and Chery’s joint venture has learned vital lessons from its parent companies and is preparing to go out and navigate the supply chain on its own terms.It is an exciting time for the logistics team at Chery Jaguar Land Rover (CJLR), the ...
-
FeatureRussia could ban state purchases of imported cars
Russia has said it will ban all state agencies from purchasing imported vehicles unless they are produced locally from complete knockdown (CKD) kits with a localisation level of at least 50%. The move, announced by Denis Manturov, industry and trade minister, is aimed at further stimulating foreign carmakers to increase ...
-
FeatureThe sea change yet to hit shore in North America
Growing production in Mexico and the US, along with rail wagon shortages, could disrupt the regional port network and its services. However, with new plants only just launching in Mexico, the future patterns aren't yet clear. The continuing trend of nearshoring in North America’s automotive sector is poised to have ...
-
FeatureRacking up the savings
The use of specialised metal racks is a common albeit costly practice in the automotive sector. Packaging engineers are working on making them lighter and more modular. The use of specialised metal racks is a common albeit costly practice in the automotive sector. Packaging engineers are working on making ...
-
FeatureBig movements needed at Turkish ports
Turkey’s volatile vehicle trade has seen export growth, but not all of its ro-ro ports have kept up with the services and capacity that manufacturers require to handle the volume effectively.Turkey is a sizeable albeit volatile hub for vehicle trade, with exports a particular strength. Last year, Turkish-based manufacturers exported ...
-
FeatureThe backlash over Ukraine stifles vehicles flows
*This story has been updated from an earlier versionFalling currencies, blocked supplies into Crimea and Sevastopol, confusion over new border and customs, and uncertain taxes are making the situation for production and distribution volatile across Russia and Ukraine.It has been a tumultuous year in Ukraine and Russia following widespread protests ...
-
FeatureSalvage operation to begin on Baltic Ace
Almost a year and half since the sinking of the car carrier Baltic Ace, Dutch salvage operators Boskalis and Mammoet Salvage have started an operation to raise the vessel.The Baltic Ace, managed by Stamco Ship Management and chartered by UECC, was on route between the port of Zeebrugge in Belgium ...
-
FeatureThirsty for pressure
Gefco’s chief executive, Luc Nadal (pictured), has ambitious plans for global expansion under Russian Railways ownership. But as an avid seaman, he knows it won’t always be smooth sailing.Few logistics providers have seen as much change as the Gefco Group in just two years. The major trigger was PSA Peugeot ...
-
FeatureAsian ambitions
Gefco was not first to the door in China or south-east Asia, but its regional management believes that it still has great potential to expand.Today, China and Asia barely make up 3% of Gefco’s global turnover, about par with operations in Italy and around ten times smaller than business in ...
-
FeatureWhat’s keeping US outbound executives awake in the middle of the night?
A severe disruption to rail capacity this year has left thousands of vehicles stranded in North America, leading some carmakers to look more carefully at their road and short-sea shipping options. Executives discussed their long-term plans at this year’s conference in California.The prospect of modal shifts for finished vehicle distribution ...
-
Feature‘Insane’ ideas for solving the crunch in used car deliveries
Speakers at this year's FVL North America conference revealed ideas for streamlining used car deliveries and saving logistics costs.While the first quarter of 2014 was bad for new vehicle deliveries as a result rail capacity issues and weather disruptions, it was worse for the more unpredictable used car market, which ...
-
FeatureWaiting to ride the Chinese waves
Domestic ro-ro shipping on China’s east coast and along the Yangtze River has seen solid growth, but is still treading water relative to the overall market. Transporting vehicles by water for the Chinese domestic market would appear to make a great deal of sense. Around 95% of Chinese production of ...
-
Feature‘End of an era’ as Steve Harley retires from Ford
A renowned executive across the carmaker and the industry for more than four decades, Stephen Harley is moving on. He talks to Automotive Logistics about what has changed in logistics as well as his last project at Ford Europe. [This story was updated on 12 May 2014] Stephen Harley (left) ...
-
FeatureChina’s new growth comes with old stories
Speakers at this year's conference in Beijing revealed that manufacturers and logistics providers are well on their way to further growth in China, but many are still struggling to shift towards higher-value services, as well as fix familiar problems. Additional reporting by Marcus WilliamsFull-length videos of the main sessions are ...
-
FeatureAPL Logistics Vascor orders three rakes for Indian FV service
Third party logistics joint venture, APL Logistics Vascor Automotive, has placed orders with Indian freight car maker Texmaco Rail and Engineering for three rail rakes, with the first delivery expected in three months.Each rake comprises 27 wagons and is capable of carrying 300 vehicles. The company will use the trains ...