All articles by Jonathan Ward – Page 2
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FeatureIdentifying trace elements
Considering the high value of its product, visibility in the finished vehicle supply chain is notoriously poor, but what is the industry doing about it? The contrast between the two sides of the automotive supply chain could hardly be starker. Upstream, flows are highly disciplined and tightly managed. Parts and ...
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FeatureDynamic engineering
The design of logistics networks can have a decisive effect on their performance and efficiency, but it is necessary for manufacturer and logistics providers to reengineer them as often as possible to gain the most efficiency.When companies decide how parts are going to flow from suppliers to assembly plants, or ...
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FeatureFord and SAP: putting all parts under one roof
Coordinating Ford’s complex service parts supply chain with minimal financial or asset waste requires an IT system that sets a global standard. The carmaker worked together with SAP and Caterpillar to create and implement a global solution IN THIS STORY... Teamwork in supplyDeveloping a systemForecasting in segmentsOne system for a ...
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FeatureChain reactions getting harder to manage
Supply chain functions are evolving to encompass greater integration, new technologies and more sophisticated strategies. Automotive supply chains are always getting harder to manage. Unpredictable economic conditions and the growth of new markets make demand more difficult to predict. The 2008 recession, on top of decades of lean evolution, stripped ...
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FeatureMexico by land and by sea
Primary markets and the potential on the rails Short sea horizons/ Mexican road routesVolume, frequency and a turning of the tideThe links jump to sections of the articleMexico’s export links to the US are in the balance as the country’s production is set to rise and OEMs consider rail and ...
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FeatureRo-ro carriers keep on rolling on
Ro-ro carriers have been able to manage capacity and market swings better than many, but shifting vehicle flows, fuel cost rises and a volatile market may make the coming years the hardest yet to balance, reports Jonathan Ward. The global ro-ro and pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) market ...
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FeatureDamage still half of claims for inbound and aftermarket supply
Inbound and aftermarket component supply chains achieve remarkable levels of quality, yet damage in transport is still the cause of up to half of all claims. A report on how the industry is cutting that figure. There is plenty about automotive component supply chains to suggest that damage in transport ...
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FeatureDamage control
Improving parts protection at Ford of Europe;Rapid response;Investigating causes;Mobis reassesses aftermarket packaging;Packaging for air freight;Continuous improvement at Renault.Inbound and aftermarket component supply chains achieve remarkable levels of quality, yet damage in transport is still the cause of up to half of all claims. Jonathan Ward reports on how the industry ...
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FeatureReadying the new model army
What happens when?;Bridging the distance;Value added;From concept to execution;Innovative concepts;Environmental considerations.New model programmes present the biggest opportunity to improve the performance of inbound packaging, but is the industry making the best use if it? Jonathan Ward reportsPackaging decisions in vehicle manufacture are intimately linked to new model programmes. While carmakers, ...
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FeatureIndian aftermarket is no afterthought
Growing sales and ever-increasing customer expectations are driving a transformation in the Indian aftermarket.Complexity and potential for change;Broadening the reach.The automotive aftermarket is not so-named because OEMs think about it after they have developed their new vehicle sales channels, but in developing markets that is often the way things work. ...
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FeatureSuppliers get serious about logistics
Hit hard in the tough times, but expected to respond rapidly when the economy improves, tier one suppliers must find logistics approaches that are fast, cheap and flexible. Jonathan Ward reports that some are now benefitting from investment in IT and process improvements.Simple, fast and cheap;Parts and processes hand in ...
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FeatureTier ones wake up to IT
Tier one suppliers face many challenges in making the most of their supply chain IT, but new offerings by suppliers and a new openness in the industry may deliver much.Garbage in, garbage outShining light into a black holeIn the new normalDon't buy, rentLimitations of a legacyIt is quicker, cheaper and ...
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FeaturePacked with potential
Manufacturers in North America have emerged from the crisis with a renewed appreciation for the cost-saving potential of packaging, with more consideration at the part-design phaseSilver liningsRoom for improvementIt's all gone southAutomotive packaging technology tends to evolve at the pace of vehicle programmes. Carmakers and suppliers may feel the pressure ...
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FeatureAn emerging case for change
Supply chains in emerging markets present unique challenges for packaging. Companies are now beginning to adopt the best of the established techniques, and are developing some interesting new approaches of their ownTata introduces pooled packagingWestern packaging providers move into ChinaStandards are a major concernWhat to do when suppliers aren't where ...
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FeatureBringing lean to the LSPs
A philosophy of lean logistics and continuous improvement is not just for the large carmakers of the world; even smaller logistics providers have found ways to use the principles to improve their business.The Huppertz Group, a medium-sized, family-owned German logistics provider, will open a logistics centre in 2011 in Kassel ...
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FeatureIs sharing a box worth it?
Container pooling tackles some important hidden costs in the inbound supply chain. But are the opportunities offered by the approach being ignored as OEMs and suppliers struggle with larger problems?Pool playersA pool, not a puddleImpact of the crisisCurrent challenges but future opportunityTracking the boxesPackaging in the inbound automotive supply chain ...
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FeatureBack in the fast lane
Premium freight services nearly disappeared at the outset of the financial crisis. Now recovery and inventory cautious-carmakers have brought back the need for speed, but under new terms.Off a cliffSigns of recoverySame shipments, different dayCentralised purchasingLower cost optionsA cautious recoveryWhat will electric vehicles mean for air refight?To reduce inbound inventory ...
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