All North America articles – Page 90
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FeatureCarmakers fight for taxi rank
The New York Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) has approved the Ford Transit Connect Taxi for use in the city, which will mean regular shipments from the carmaker’s Otosan plant in Turkey. The announcement is something of a surprise given TLC’s approval in May this year of a ten-year “exclusive” ...
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FeatureGlobal round up
Ford starts Focus output in RussiaFord has started production this week of its new Focus model at the Vsevolozhsk plant near St Petersburg, Russia for distribution to its 100-strong dealership network in the country. The company has already secured 5,000 orders from Russian customers. Production started on Monday of the ...
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FeatureDelivery shortages prompt Audi US plans
Reducing delivery times to the US that are currently too high is one of the reasons behind Audi’s plans to build an assembly plant in North America. The company is also considering the addition of an engine and transmission plant in the country, which could be shared with VW, to ...
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FeatureGlobal round up
Renault investment in Cergy-PontoiseRenault is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Cergy-Pontoise spare parts warehouse with a €2.5m refit to its workshops that it said will improve ergonomics through better organisation. The improvements to the 92,000m2 facility include the introduction of a system that will enable operators to move both ...
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FeatureTurning the corner
Key trendsLogistics challengesIn a big countryBuilding on core strengthsConfidence is returning to the automotive industry in Australia after a period of slump but challenges such as infrastructure investment and supply chain flexibility need to be met, writes Andrew Williams.In the wake of the global financial crisis, the Australian automotive industry ...
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FeatureNeapolitan strength from Grimaldi
Automotive backboneNaples leads the growthScrap the old, in with the newProtecting profitsGrimaldi is having a record year, and Christopher Ludwig shows that the Naples-based company’s success is thanks to its strategies for automotive, investment and diversification.Relative to its general business strategy, 2011 should have been a catastrophe so far for ...
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FeatureEurope divided over rail cargoes
To Russia and beyondDistance myth dispelledWhat future for co-loading?...while closed wagons remain too expensiveSpeed of responseThe integration of European rail freight and cross-border standardisation remains a distant dream. Countries have differing state and private provision, with consequences for logistics companies, writes Barry Cross.The European Union has long had ambitions to ...
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FeatureChanges from coast to coast
The rise of exports and the spectre of JapanIncreasing competition on the East CoastNew players on the West CoastRichmond on the rise againWho will emerge next?As imports recover and exports grow through North American ports, a complex mix of factors from currency appreciation to the Japanese earthquake is forcing change ...
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FeatureScratching the surface of damage protection
Types of damage Damage limitationHandle with careNew innovation gaining tractionThe long journeys experienced by finished vehicles require a co-ordinated approach to improving handling and prevent the risks of damage in transit, writes Andrew Williams.By the time new cars roll off production lines they will have undergone a series of strict ...
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FeatureHeavy growth in Brazil
Marcopolo discovers new territoriesAgco harvests logistics savingsConstructive logisticsBrazil’s boom has been driving a wave of investment in the construction and farming industries, through to tourism and retail. Tony Danby looks at how economic growth, the upcoming World Cup and expanding agricultural markets are spurring heavy machinery sales and the challenges ...
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FeatureAgility required
Continental is bouncing back in China, but is aware that the country’s bureaucracy and lack of visibility present particular challenges to a supply chain that requires a flexible approach.A need to lower inventory;Complex and growing opportunities;Keeping up with logistics demand;The Japan crisis;Sticking to current contracts.The story of Continental in Asia ...
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FeatureGroup dynamics at VW
As the head of VW Group Logistics, Thomas Zernechel is keeping logistics innovation at the forefront of the carmaker’s global expansion, particularly with the rollout of its ‘new logistics concept’.Capacity planning down the tiers;Moving towards crossdocks;Letting the train take the strain;Rolling out hubs for outbound;The role of C02 reduction;A return ...
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FeatureGeodis going further and deeper in automotive
Geodis Wilson is emerging as a major player on the global automotive logistics stage. Part of the Geodis Group, 100% owned by the French railways, SNCF, the company is expanding rapidly on every continent for automotive, from expansion of its airfreight facility in Atlanta to being a full 3PL to ...
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FeatureAfter the disaster in Japan
The tsunami and earthquake in Japan have produced soul-searching about how the industry should react. But there will not be a knee-jerk reaction, and well-established practices will not be thrown into reverseKey industries positions questioned;Minimising impact of disasters.Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami in March put a significant proportion of the ...
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FeatureChina's aftermarket is waiting for the ripple
The aftermarket in China is lagging behind the manufacture of and demand for cars but there are encouraging signs that consolidation and specialisation of services is on the rise.An overview of China's aftermarket;Early days;The aftermarket versus the auto market;Packaging in the aftermarket;The dealership challenge;Warranty and cost;How excited should companies get?.By ...
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FeatureMaking the warehouse visible
The key to an efficient automotive operation is a successful warehouse system but it needs to be integrated and transparent to reach its optimum efficiency.Consolidating different systems;Supporting cross-docking;Range of picking systems;Barcode scanning;Costs of investment.Ever since the first Model T rolled off Ford’s production line, manufacturing processes were seen as key ...
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FeatureGlobal round up
Cat Logistics expands US distribution with Spokane centreCaterpillar Logistics Services will begin construction this summer on a new US parts distribution centre in Spokane, Washington, which is expected to be completed next year and will replace the company’s existing 11,600m2 facility. The new facility is part of the Caterpillar subsidiary’s ...
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FeatureExecutives on the move
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) has announced two appointments to its global executive management team. Christopher J. Connor has been named chief commercial officer for the company’s global organization and will assume the CCO role while continuing as deputy CEO of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS. Connor will work closely with Oslo-based ...
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FeatureCar carriers unfazed by Greek strikes
Dockworkers at Greece’s main ports of Thessaloniki and Piraeus have joined air traffic controllers, rail workers, hauliers and seafarers in a 48-hour general strike this week. The protest, against the government’s handling of the economic crisis affecting the country, is the fourth strike to have hit the country this year ...
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FeatureCalifornia extends clean-fuel zone
California is to extend the reach of its 24-nautical mile clean-fuel shipping zone to include offshore islands following complaints from the US Navy that more than half the cargo vessels serving the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach having been using the Point Mugu Sea Range-a restricted area off ...