All Policy and regulation articles – Page 48
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FeatureEditor's Note: VW North America and Fiat Latin America
This issue features our first ‘double bill’ cover, with interviews across Volkswagen in North America (p16), and Fiat in Latin America (p26). Each of these stories, carved into their smaller halves, warrants its own cover.Volkswagen's return to US production is historic, while its Mexican growth – even before adding a ...
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FeatureBrazil concerned over parts trade
The Brazilian automotive parts industry is worried by two recent developments affecting trade with its neighbours Argentina and Mexico. In the first, the government of Argentina is to revise the automotive agreement it has with Brazil to favour the local production of components. Secondly, imported parts from Mexico are ...
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FeatureIn conversation with... Scott Sharland, AIAG
It is hard to find any positive aspects to a recession but if it could do any good it has made stakeholders in the automotive industry aware of how interdependent they are; fertile ground for collaboration according to Scot Sharland, executive director of the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG). ...
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FeatureExecutives on the move: Thomas Banholzer, Markus Gichert, Luca Rossi, Marcelo Di Benedetto, Mike Pilkington, Andrew Hetzel, Steve Maltby, Stephen Hucklesby, Ray LaHood
In early January Thomas Banholzer took over as manager of network design and procurement for vehicle logistics at Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), Daimler’s US division with responsibility for Mercedes-Benz and smart passenger cars, and Sprinter vans. He took over the role from Markus Gichert, who has returned to Daimler’s headquarters ...
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FeatureSupply chain barriers matter more than trade tariffs
A report published this week reveals that the reduction of certain supply chain and logistics barriers could have the potential to increase GDP and world trade significantly more than would eliminating all import tariffs on their own.The report, ‘Enabling Trade: Valuing Growth Opportunities’, suggests that governments, together with manufacturing ...
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FeatureFighting the good fight
The European economic climate is exerting pressure on policymakers in Brussels and across the continent. The vehicle logistics industry must be united for its voice to be heard, writes the ECG's President.The ECG has worked diligently to increase its influence in Brussels. The dual role it plays – as an ...
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FeatureThe Mexican parts rush
With car production jumping across the border to Mexico, manufacturers are making increasing use of the country’s developing intermodal services, writes Anthony CoiaFord's load factor improvements;Intermodal investment;GM's intercontinental material network;Visteon at the border;Consolidating networks;Nissan's four pillars;VW and synchronising supply;3PL developments.Mexico is resurgent as a manufacturing and export base for the ...
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FeatureEDITOR’S NOTE: Gefco/GM; pressures on free trade
Automotive logistics, by definition, always moves. From sorting material at crossdocks to loading in ports, sailing, trucking or flying, the supply chain is in constant flux. So too is the automotive logistics industry itself. A struggling European market brings not only painful cuts, but also changes in logistics strategies. GM’s decision ...
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FeatureThe Mexican parts rush
With car production jumping across the border to Mexico, manufacturers are making increasing use of the country’s developing intermodal services, writes Anthony Coia.Mexico is resurgent as a manufacturing and export base for the automotive industry. While the country has suffered from violence and security issues relating to drug crime in ...
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FeaturePremium logistics for a premium US service
Christopher Ludwig talks to Mercedes-Benz USA about the carmaker’s delivery and inventory management challenges in maintaining an efficient spare parts network.A different kind of dealer in the US;Why not three times a day?;The NAFTA project and sharing truckloads;In-house versus 3PL parts warehouses;Packaging standards and returnable loops;Can't just throw money at ...
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FeatureA price to pay for premium success
Balancing cost with growth;Very similar networks;Diversity makes the difference;The NAFTA project;Comparing the VW Group;A study in VPC management;Return of the capacity question;A rewarding culture.German OEMs like BMW and Mercedes-Benz find themselves in a difficult yet enviable position as they work to match strong US sales growth with the necessary outbound ...
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FeatureWith the clock ticking, take sulphur out at source
Moving cars and equipment on the ocean is arguably the least environmentally damaging way of doing it. The good news is that it is about to become even less polluting with the introduction of emission control areas (ECAs) around the coasts of the Baltic and North Sea in Europe and ...
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FeatureNorth American vehicle imports on the rise
Recent figures from industry analysts and regional manufacturing associations show that North America is seeing significant growth in demand for imported vehicles, boosting volumes for vehicle carriers serving the market. Data from Autocorp and Reuters show that sales of imported cars were up 17.7% in March to 246,522 against the ...
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FeatureGateway to a new era for GAZ
Bo Andersson has been leading a remarkable turnaround and a tough restructuring at Russia’s GAZ Group, with a significant focus on improving supply chain management and logistics. Christopher Ludwig presents a pertinent example of how logistics can provide a competitive advantage in Russia.
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FeatureAnother second chance in Detroit
Expanding the distribution networkExport growthFind ways to collaborateOcean capacity–a move towards global tenders?Rail wagon shortages Doing well on the road With fast growing volume in North America, and surprisingly strong exports, the Chrysler Group’s resurgence under Fiat’s control has been one of the industry’s best tales of turnaround. Efficient, global ...
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Breaking up is hard to do
With some worst-case scenarios moving frighteningly closer to reality in the eurozone, Europe may already be in recession. GDP growth was anaemic (but still up) in the third quarter in France, Germany and the UK, but forecasts have been cut further. The installation of ‘technocratic’ governments in Italy and Greece ...
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FeatureDaimler and Alliance agree on US engine supply
Daimler and Renault-Nissan took another step forward in their collaboration last week with the announcement that they will produce engines together in the US from 2014. Nissan’s plant in Decherd, Tennessee (pictured) will build Mercedes-Benz 4-cylinder engines for Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz C-Class vehicles, with installed capacity of 250,000 units per ...
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FeatureStaying afloat on shifting seas
Shipping lines reign in capacityA more complex networkA quick recovery from earthquakeTough market for European short-seaCould emission regulation benefit road transport?From financial crises to environmental disasters, the ro-ro market has weathered an almost perfect storm in the last few years. With tougher emission rules in the offing and new-building at ...
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FeatureTreading on new ground
While focusing its North American logistics efforts on more lucrative, higher premium products, tyre manufacturer Pirelli is opting for a ‘local for local’ philosophy as it expands into emerging markets. Tony Danby looks at the company’s LSP selection criteria and its investment in new plants.Trimming costs;All-round expertise;Outsourcing;Mexican factory.Pirelli, one of ...
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FeatureSurprise departures as Fiat reorganises
The widespread organisational changes at Fiat that were announced at the end of July have now taken effect and not without some surprise departures from the supply chain and commercial departments, namely Paola Petrone (pictured left), who was senior vice president of Supply Chain Management, and Andrea Formica (pictured right), ...