All articles by Marcus Williams – Page 66
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FeatureSSA Marine expands vehicle processing in Mexico and Canada
Marine and rail terminal company SSA Marine has completed the first phase of development at its Special Automobile Terminal in Lázaro Cárdenas port in Mexico. It has also announced new business for finished vehicle handling on Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada, which is due to start in ...
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FeatureProficient Auto Transport appoints new president and CEO
Randy Beggs (pictured) has moved from his role as COO at US-based finished vehicle haulier, Proficient Auto Transport, to become president and CEO. He will now handle the day-to-day running of the company.Beggs replaces Kirk Williams, who held the role since 2004 and has now become chairman of the board.Proficient ...
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FeatureSlaughter takes over in purchasing at Ford of Europe
Sue Slaughter (pictured) has taken over as director of purchasing, and team value management (TVM) strategy and business development, at Ford of Europe, following the departure of Alan Draper, who has retired from the carmaker. Slaughter moves from her role as COO at Getrag Ford Transmissions, a division of the ...
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FeaturePSA Group reorganises supply chain roles
Etienne Jacob (pictured) has moved to become senior vice-president of supply chain at Opel/Vauxhall, based in Rüsselsheim, Germany. He moves from his role as vice-president of supply chain transport and packaging at PSA Group, which now owns the Opel and Vauxhall divisions following last years’ buyout by General Motors.Jacob has ...
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FeatureMaersk calls for industry-wide paperless platform
Global shipping giant Maersk Group has begun piloting an industry-wide paperless platform in a joint venture project with IBM aimed at speeding up trade transactions. In its recently released North America Trade Report, Maersk Line, the global container division of Maersk Group, said the system would boost transparency for clients, ...
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- 马士基航运公司要求行业广泛推行无纸化平台
全球运输公司 — 马士基航运公司与IBM合作，在合资公司项目中广泛实行无纸化平台，目的是为了提高买卖交易的速度。“北美贸易报告”最近刚刚报告，马士基航运公司认为该系统将会提高对客户的透明度，最终能节省数亿美元。 面对美国贸易进出口之间不断加深的缺口，供应链中的每一方，包括制造商、物流供应商及基础设施开发商都需要聚在一起商量，投资，促进出口。公司称，包括汽车业在内的所有人都在寻求最佳途径，比如建立联合行业标准，使用最新数字技术等。 据马士基报告称，由于今年高工资、低就业率及GDP稍有增长等因素的推动，2018年的美国市场将增长3-5%。去年，市场增长了6.8%。马士基报告称，在线零售增长成为影响商品需求的主要因素，因而上游供应链在上市速度和可靠性方面承受不少压力，而且还有可视性和控制等其他因素。 但与此同时马士基发现，美国与其他地区的贸易不平衡，尤其是亚洲，导致每两个向美国的进口国中，就有一个是出口空缺。这种不平衡会在今年越演欲裂。对马士基这样规模的公司而言，这意味着要出口很多空集装箱。 马士基航运北美公司贸易与市场部长Christian Pedersen说，“作为一家航运公司，我们认为自己并没有处于运输环境中，而愿意成为贸易开发的一部分。” 通过全球标准平衡贸易公司称，关键就在于立法和商业投资规划，从而促进出口和贸易分歧再平衡。这反过来需要供应链各方更强烈的意愿，为了更加平衡的贸易利益努力。 Pedersen对Automotive Logistics说，“供应链中的公司已经团结一致，开发和创造投资，促进全球贸易和出口。这就需要所有的公司逆流而上，投资生产厂，与码头经营商、铁路经营上和需要投资公司和其他基础设施的政府密切合作。” Pedersen说，这就是马士基与IBM合作的原因。 “如果你真想大范围改变供应链，提高效率，那就需要一个汗液方案，而不是供应链里某一个公司的方案。”他还说，与IBM的合作是建立在创造一个公开平台的基础上，供应链里所有供应商都能参与，建立一种能够改进效率的中间平台。 这在海洋运输业内是有先例的。马士基是参与不定期运输到固定班轮运输举措的首批海运服务供应商之一。今年是马士基建立固定班轮运输服务90周年；第一个业务就是为福特公司在美国和日本之间运输汽车零部件。 Pedersen说，“从不定期运输到固定班轮转变的意义在于其独有性，行业开始改变，基础设施也跟着调整。客户能够每周一次固定出航。” 采用航运集装箱是另一个创新举措，他说这需要整个行业都采用，才能真正提高效率。如果只有一个公司使用，那么全球的起始港口和码头不需要投资，也无法得到好处，而这将成为全球贸易标准化的途径。 马士基航线进行了很多实验，包括与物流供应商Agility合作调查中间标准化行业平台。公司正在研究如何提供临时可视性，不仅是在海洋，还有陆地上。 墨西哥海湾机遇据马士基公司称，地区出口贸易潜力开发有两个非常好的实例。两个都是在美国墨西哥海岸地区。页岩气出口是一个积极贸易来源，另一个是旧车部门。美国是全球二手车最大出口国，而马士基是海洋集装箱整车最大运输商。Pedersen预测，墨西哥湾地区港口存储中心有大约500,000辆二手车，并且表示二手车出口还有增长的空间。 这种趋势因为Harvey飓风的破坏而得到增强，去年对市场产生了巨大影响。虽然销账和保险索赔可能会推动新车销量增长，正如PwC分析公司在去年全球汽车物流会议上指出的那样，但是这些只有少许损坏的汽车非常适合在其他市场再行销。 Pedersen说，“很多这样的车出售很容易，在其他市场广泛使用，包括非洲、中东和印度。”迪拜阿里山港口可能会吸引大量的二手车，因为那里有一个全球二手车拍卖中心。东南亚也是二手车出口重点市场。 为了充分探索集装箱汽车出口的潜力，目前困扰二手车出口手续问题需要解决。这个地区对车辆处理的难度由于二手市场遭受飓风袭击而加剧，而且等待时间也加长了。 Pedersen: Global reach and global scale are key Pedersen说，“决定保险公司决策，以及如何回应一年全国个别紧急事件，这些都需要时间解决。” Pedersen说，作为服务供应商，以及二手车出口供应链合作商，马士基吸收流程中所产的影响对客户来说非常重要，所能做的就是采用数字工具。他说，二手车的清关和文书程序都是一些特殊要求，而且出口商还需要时将这些车运到港口。 Pedersen说，“我们发现我们的作用就是在与合作商完成程序中充当专家，为他们提供方案。而且，因为我们拥有海洋运输商及码头经营商的优势，我们可以很好地研究如何为二手车出口商设计方案。” 据Pedersen称，只需要预定一个出口集装箱，就跟在线购买运动鞋一样或披萨一样简单。信息流需要答复简化，而且Pedersen说就是物流加工信息流一端，技术和数字得以在行业和供应链中转化，成为促进全球贸易发展的关键。 对汽车业而言，马士基并没有限制二手车出口。汽车集装箱运输不断增长，而Pedersen称马士基想为客户提供一站式服务，包括装配厂的全散件装备运输，以及流程末端整车再出口。 Pedersen说，“这是否适用于新车，全球供应链是否已经准备好，或者二手车是否需要进入新兴市场玩过，关键因素是全球范围。全球无死角大范围的网络，以及建立地方机构，是这些领域真正极为需要的东西。”
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FeatureVW cancels contracts with Prevent Group after supply problems
Volkswagen has cancelled the majority of its contracts with parts and material supplier Prevent Group following a series of supply problems affecting production in Brazil between 2015 and 2016. The carmaker said the problems had cost it a total of €250m ($307m).Since the 1990s, Prevent Group, based in Bosnia, has ...
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FeatureGraham Little takes up new role at Evolution Time Critical
Graham Little has been promoted to deputy managing director at Evolution Time Critical, the emergency logistics provider. He moves from his role as head of business development at the company. Little joined Evolution Time Critical in 2007. The company said the move comes as part of a company-wide expansion following ...
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FeatureBMW Brilliance opens VDC at Ningbo
BMW’s joint venture with Brilliance Automobile in China, BMW Brilliance Automobile (BBA), has opened a vehicle distribution centre (VDC) at the Meishin (Meixi) ro-ro terminal in Ningbo-Zhoushan port, the world’s busiest port in terms of cargo tonnage.The facility, which BBA refers to as a decentralised distribution area (DDA), is being ...
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FeatureKoopman Logistics trials blockchain in the Netherlands
Koopman Logistics Group has successfully completed a shipment of finished vehicles using blockchain digital technology to accurately track each unit in real time and automate administrative transactions.In an ongoing trial involving its Dutch customer PON Logistics, Koopman is moving vehicles from the PON compound in Leusden to dealers across the ...
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FeatureAsset management firm buys Amports
InstarAGF Asset Management has bought North American automotive port logistics processor Amports from Lincolnshire Management for an undisclosed sum.Amports, based in Jacksonville, Florida, directly owns around half of its land portfolio and provides carmakers with portside vehicle processing services that include rail loading and unloading, inspection, storage, repairs and accessorisation. ...
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FeatureFord expands Struandale engine plant
Ford is adding an assembly line at its Struandale plant in South Africa to produce engines for the Ford Ranger Raptor. The mid-size pick-up will go into production next year at the carmaker’s Silverton assembly plant in Pretoria, as well as at its plant in Rayong, Thailand, both of which ...
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FeatureMercedes-Benz starts up industry 4.0-based truck line in Brazil
Mercedes-Benz do Brasil has started production on a new truck assembly line at its plant in Sao Bernardo do Campo that uses industry 4.0 technology to raise production line and inbound logistics efficiency. The move follows a three-year investment programme totalling 500m real ($150.6m).The company said the use of the ...
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FeatureG7 announces smart truck venture with GLP and NIO Capital
A new joint venture between G7, GLP and NIO Capital has been announced that will seek to create the next generation of smart vehicles for the logistics and transport sectors.G7, one of China’s leading Internet of Things (IoT) technology developers, will have the controlling stake in the venture and work ...
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FeatureWork begins in China on LNG vessels for VW
The Xiamen shipyard in China has begun work on the first of two pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) for Volkswagen Group Logistics, which will be operated under charter by Siem Car Carriers and will run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).The vessels will be in service by 2019, moving vehicles ...
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FeaturePSA Group to sell remaining stake in Gefco
French carmaker PSA Group, which owns Peugeot, Citroën and Opel/Vauxhall, has said it will sell its remaining 25% stake in Gefco, its former logistics subsidiary.The carmaker said in a statement that “Gefco’s operational performance and the diversification of its client portfolio no longer [make] it necessary for [PSA Group] to ...
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FeatureHeimann joins MetroGistics in lead IT role
US-based finished vehicle logistics provider MetroGistics has hired John Heimann (pictured) as associate vice-president of information technology. The company said Heimann would help develop IT operations, as well as being heavily involved in the integration of MetroGistics’ customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms.Heimann has 28 years ...
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FeatureSchulze lands new job at SAIC VW
Fred Schulze (pictured) will take up a new role as executive vice-president at SAIC VW – the joint venture between Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation and Volkswagen Group – at the beginning of July this year.He moves from his role at Audi where he is responsible for the C-/ D-SUV and ...
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Feature3D-printed car to go on sale in China
Italy’s electric vehicle manufacturer, X Electrical Vehicle (XEV), has said it will work with 3D printing expert Polymaker to produce a 3D-printed EV for the Chinese market as early as the second quarter of next year.Called the LSEV, the carmaker said it would be the first mass-produced printed vehicle and ...
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FeatureRenault-Nissan appoints new manufacturing, production and SCM team
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has announced five deputy and senior vice-president appointments to support its Manufacturing, Production Engineering and Supply Chain Management division from April 1st.The division handles global industrial strategy across the group’s brands, including sourcing, production process engineering, production control and supply chain management, and has been headed by ...