News – Page 354

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    Key executives on the move

    2009-05-06T00:00:00Z

    Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President, Chrysler (pictured) has left the company following its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. When the Chapter 11 protection measures were announced last Thursday LaSorda said he planned to retire, but a date wasn't set. The next day Chrysler announced that his retirement would be ...

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    TNT strengthens presence in Brazil

    2009-05-06T00:00:00Z

    Netherlands-based logistics giant TNT has taken 100% control of South American provider Expresso Araçatuba Transportes e Logistica SA for €54m. The company, which has been a partner of TNT Mercúrio in Brazil since 2001, offers express transport from the South and South East of Brazil to the North and Central ...

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    Third time a charm for GM?

    2009-04-29T00:00:00Z

    GM’s third attempt at a restructuring plan in which it will swap bondholder debt for equity in an attempt to avoid bankruptcy on June 1 is looking as unlikely as its previous attempts, according to leading industry analysts. And even if it does succeed the prospects for its logistics providers ...

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    UK budget is too little too late for logistics

    2009-04-29T00:00:00Z

    Last week’s budget announcement in the UK has been received with mixed feelings by the automotive industry, with enthusiasm for the scrappage scheme tempered by criticism from the logistics sector of both that and the fuel duty increases proposed for September. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) said that the decision ...

  • Feature

    LSPs look long term at Zeebrugge

    2009-04-29T00:00:00Z

    Despite a Q1 downturn in car handling activity at the Port of Zeebrugge of 46.2%, two logistics service providers have made significant investments for long-term growth at the world’s biggest automotive port.Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) has opened a 7,600m² vehicle processing centre (VPC) at Belgian port, which will offer a ...

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    UniCar keeps an eye on quality for SEAT

    2009-04-29T00:00:00Z

    Automotive surveying specialist UniCar Group has secured a contract with Seat for quality inspection at its Matorell plant near Barcelona, Spain. It will also carry out audit work across the carmaker’s wider European network. “The scope of work is to perform car inspection audits at Martorell factory on behalf ...

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    Feature

    Awards recognise exceptional women in logistics

    2009-04-29T00:00:00Z

    The finalists have been announced for this year’s MAN everywoman in Transport and Logistics Awards, with the winner to be announced on May 14 at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London, UK. Sponsored by MAN Truck & Bus UK, in association with Skills for Logistics, the awards aim to highlight ...

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    Nissan streamlines logistics under new committees

    2009-04-29T00:00:00Z

    Nissan is consolidating its operations across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, and aligning its supply chain management and logistics functions across the region more closely with manufacturing and purchasing. Administration of the new alignment will now be managed by a streamlined team of executives across three committees who ...

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    Feature

    CHEP expands business in Turkey

    2009-04-22T00:00:00Z

    Pallet and container provider CHEP is expanding its activity in Turkey to support the growth in automotive supply for OEM and tier suppliers from there to markets throughout Europe. “Turkey is becoming an increasingly important player in the automotive industry,” said Rainer Sandow, Vice President, Automotive Europe, CHEP. “We ...

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    Feature

    South Africa is Cruze destination for GM

    2009-04-22T00:00:00Z

    GM delivered the first shipment of its new mid-size Chevrolet sedan, the Cruze, to its South African operation at the Port of Port Elizabeth last week for final testing and validation. The Cruze, which will be launched in the country later this year, is manufactured at the Daewoo plant ...

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    New NAPA ro-ro service answers strong demand

    2009-04-22T00:00:00Z

    Norwegian ro-ro provider Partner Shipping has established a new North America Pacific Asia (NAPA) service with Australia’s Praxis Logistics to answer “strong market demand” in the region. It will focus on automotive and high and heavy imports to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. The new ‘triangle’ service will also target ...

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    LSPs chase the Chinese dream

    2009-04-22T00:00:00Z

    This week’s Automotive Logistics China conference in Shanghai left little doubt that China is the true land of opportunity for the automotive industry and its suppliers during the global recession. Carmakers and tier ones such as FAW Group, Dongfeng, Geely and Magna called for expanded logistics services including milkruns and ...

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    Analysis: Chinese policy on downturn – crosshair or blindspot?

    2009-04-22T00:00:00Z

    The Chinese government certainly acted quickly and successfully to reverse the first downward sales trend for new car sales it experienced during the second half of 2008. Today, thanks largely to a hefty cut in sales tax on cars with a 1.6-litre engine or less, sales are up in the ...

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    “We need to agree to speak the same language”

    2009-04-22T00:00:00Z

    At this year's China conference in Shanghai delegates called for better and more consistent standards to stabilise the industry. “The price of logistics service has declined, and the economics of small and medium sized LSPs have been hurt severely. Some companies have been experiencing an extreme loss.”Wei Yong, Economic Operation ...

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    Supply chain scheme could limit risk

    2009-04-15T00:00:00Z

    The withdrawal of credit insurance for automotive parts suppliers in the UK has led to warnings of a domino effect of bankruptcies across the sector, which could impact on logistics service providers. But a new state guarantee scheme due to be announced in next week’s Budget could provide help by ...

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    Toyota awards logistics partners for performance

    2009-04-15T00:00:00Z

    Toyota has announced its logistics US partners awards for performance in 2008 with NYK Line taking four of 17 plaudits. The 2009 Toyota Logistics Partner’s Dinner Awards also recognised rail operator Norfolk Southern Corporation with three honours out of four for rail activity. In the President’s Award category NYK Line ...

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    LSPs are not too big to fail

    2009-04-15T00:00:00Z

    Last week, when details were revealed of the Obama administration’s $5 billion financing support package for automotive suppliers of GM and Chrysler, automotive logistics service providers were once again left off the list of those eligible for aid. By now this should come as no surprise, as aid packages across ...

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    Feature

    Safety first in the supply chain

    2009-04-15T00:00:00Z

    Tier suppliers are realising they need a more strategic focus on supply chain management and logistics cost control as the economic downturn exposes inefficient supply routes and sourcing patterns. The problem is hitting those that have expanded global production in recent years but have not pursued a global or even ...

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    Feature

    Mercedes looks at logistics in India

    2009-04-15T00:00:00Z

    Mercedes Benz is planning to increase the amount of parts it sources from India and is focusing on improving its delivery network in the face of logistics difficulties in the country.The company has pursued a 10% annual increase in sourcing from the country over the last decade with components from ...

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    Ceva builds support for BMW in Australia

    2009-04-15T00:00:00Z

    Ceva Logistics has signed a new contract with BMW for the management of warehouse operations in Australia. Ceva will now manage the receipt, storage, inventory and dispatch of service parts to 20 BMW car dealerships in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and West Australia, a process previously handled in house by ...