All articles by Abigail Williams – Page 2

  • 2016018B1_M3A7101
    Article

    Freight audit & pay systems: Better ways to pay the bills

    2016-11-17T17:41:23Z

    Concluding our two-part look at freight audit & pay (FA&P) systems (see part one), Automotive Logistics investigates the variety of ways in which they can be used throughout the supply chain, weighs up the challenges of doing so and assesses some likely future trends... Although the exact nature of FA&P ...

  • Renault_Cergy 20649
    Article

    Freight audit & pay systems: Making payment less painful

    2016-08-18T15:35:35Z

    Freight audit and pay systems can provide great control over auditing and paying for logistics-related services Got a proper handle on what's going on in your supply chain? FA&P systems could help...Freight audit and pay (FA&P) systems are often used by manufacturers and logistics integrators to process, audit, verify and ...

  • Digital delivery graphic
    Article

    Is the digital future now history?

    2016-07-20T16:49:01Z

    [sta_anchor id="1"]Electronic consignment notes were given the green light by the EU in 2011 but their implementation across European countries remains patchy. Has their time finally come… or gone? So far, only eight EU member states and Switzerland have ratified the so-called e-CMR protocol – the digital addition to the ...

  • Article

    A foul stench for vehicle logistics

    2016-06-28T16:14:22Z

    Porsche’s new Macan models were grounded temporarily at some ports in the US after a stricter insistence on compliance led to certification delaysThe fallout from the diesel emissions test scandals at Volkswagen and Mitsubishi may soon find something of a resolution – at least officially, when a fix is ...

  • UTI Silk road
    Article

    China-Europe rail: The road less travelled

    2016-04-12T16:48:52Z

    The old Silk Road that connected China to Europe rose to significant prominence during the seventh and eighth centuries, when not only was silk moved from China but also spices, paper and noodles across Eurasia. The route has been disrupted and dismantled many times during the last millennium or more, ...

  • Consolidation - Big fish small fish
    Article

    Consolidation in logistics: Big fish eat the little fish...

    2016-04-04T08:00:06Z

    The big players in automotive logistics are getting bigger after a record year for mergers and acquisitions, with middle players at particular risk of being subsumed. So will this trend continue?There has been a growing trend for consolidation in the third party logistics sector over the past few years, including ...

  • Article

    A world of potential on board

    2016-01-22T10:10:10Z

    Greater system and technology integration will be required to increase the effectiveness of telematics in the supply chainTelematics technology, whether in the form of GPS-related tracking, navigation, or internet connections, is increasingly playing a big role in the automotive sector. As most cars today are equipped with such features, the ...

  • Audi Ray robots
    Article

    Hands-free handling

    2015-07-20T08:00:39Z

    While it may lag behind other in-plant activities in its use of robotics, the quest to automate finished vehicle movement within factories and yards is well underwayCompanies including General Motors, Audi, BMW, Daimler, Volvo and Tesla – not to mention Google – have all promised that the autonomous car or ...

  • Chrysler
    Article

    Apps and logistics: Taking it all in hand

    2015-03-25T12:01:17Z

    Smartphone apps are increasingly being used in areas such as track-and-trace, damage reporting and claims, as well as compliance issuesWith the growth of e-commerce, customers are increasingly accustomed to using their smartphones not only to buy products, but also track delivery right to their door. The ubiquitous rise of Uber, ...

  • Andy Lane CTI
    Article

    Bridges over troubled water

    2015-03-23T11:00:45Z

    To protect their crews, the public, the environment, and not least their operations and profits, carriers must have a ‘plan B’ in place for when things go wrong.Even if ‘Plan A’ works for you 99.9% of the time, it is always worth having a ‘Plan B’. For any business worth ...

  • 03 SARTRE_small
    Article

    Taking your hands off the wheel

    2014-11-15T08:42:25Z

    As driving and park-assist technology becomes more prevalent in trucks today, experts look ahead to what a future with self-driving trucks would mean for logistics and the automotive supply chain.Driverless cars entered the public imagination in force several years ago, when the media started following the development of the self-driving ...

  • Scanlog5
    Article

    Case study: the more the merrier for Volvo’s rail freight

    2014-11-04T08:21:39Z

    Volvo Group has recently turned to a logistics provider to sell excess rail capacity on routes between Europe and Sweden. The multi-party arrangement is an example of how consolidating freight across industries may support more efficient rail services.Transporting automotive material by rail is common for inter-plant movements, such as moving ...

  • Screenshot_15_09_2014_17_26
    Article

    How best to track the pack?

    2014-09-23T17:26:02Z

    Recently developed RFID tags are becoming gradually more accessible to the masses, but do the benefits of this technology outweigh its initial expense.Track-and-trace technology enables users to locate and identify items throughout the supply chain. Methods adopted for such purposes on the returnable transit packaging used for moving automotive components ...

  • gbs_p50c_tow_tractor_seegrid_small
    Article

    Guided by choices

    2014-08-01T16:09:15Z

    In the push to improve productivity, manufacturers and logistics providers are looking to increase the use of AGVs in parts and material warehouses, although there are still questions about investment and flexibility. Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are an increasingly common sight in the automotive industry, particularly in production plants, where ...

  • CrowleyMaritime_CommitmentClass_elcoqui_rear
    Article

    Sulphur limits: cleaning up shipping or going overboard?

    2014-02-18T20:41:30Z

    With new limits on sulphur emissions coming into force for much of northern Europe and North America next year, shipping operators are trying to comply in ways as sustainable for costs as for the environment.Come January 1st 2015, parts of the shipping world will not be the same again. On ...

  • Honda
    Article

    Damage lessons from the field

    2013-09-04T17:47:08Z

    Carmakers are concerned about finding and repairing damage, but to prevent repeat errors it is necessary to have visibility of damage across the supply chain, and to listen to the story behind each and every incident.In the quest to improve vehicle damage inspection and repair processes, the 'real-life' experiences of ...

  • manheim2
    Article

    When the hammer falls – auction car logistics

    2013-09-03T13:13:41Z

    Auction houses sell millions of cars around the world both online and at centres, and they need specific and complex logistics solutions to meet their customers' changing needs.Before auction house customers take delivery of their purchases, it is likely that the cars they have bought have moved through a logistics ...

  • India-ports-1
    Article

    Changing claims for damage

    2013-07-01T17:42:04Z

    ePOD advances;Automated and manual reporting;Damage prevention;Natural risks;Readiness to repair. New technologies allow more accurate damage recording but co-operation between OEMs, LSPs and insurers is crucial in the face of rising insurance premiums.The damage claims and insurance industry is always seeking ways to improve the accuracy and speed of damage ...

  • Screen Shot 2013-06-27 at 12.13.37
    Article

    Transporter manufacturers tough it out

    2013-04-01T17:17:03Z

    Innovation and standardisation could help support growing markets, while manufacturers look to Russia, India, North America and hope for signs of life in Europe. However, the strength of developing markets, including Russia and India, and the recovery in North America have helped such companies to survive. And just as the ...

  • Screen Shot 2013-06-28 at 11.58.11
    Article

    Paint repair: A work of body art

    2013-01-01T16:01:31Z

    Artisanal techniques for paintless dent repair are becoming more popular, with some experts suggesting they might replace more traditional bodywork repair, even in assembly plants.Paintless dent repair (PDR) – also known as smart or hail repair – is the name given to the processes that a number of specialist companies ...