All articles by Christopher Ludwig – Page 16
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FeatureGefco reports higher profits on modest revenue gains
Logistics provider Gefco Group has reported a strong growth in pre-tax earnings over the first half of 2016 compared to the same period last year, driven by recovery in the automotive industry in Europe, cost reduction initiatives and the acquisition of Dutch freight forwarder, IJS Global.Gefco, based in Paris and ...
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FeaturePort of Calais expansion begins as France pledges to shut down The Jungle
Construction has officially begun on a major expansion of France’s port of Boulogne Calais, one of Europe’s busiest gateways for ferry and ro-ro traffic, and the major port for the exchange of goods between the European mainland and the UK. The €863m ($970m) project, dubbed Calais Port 2015, will ...
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FeatureGlobal conference: Know your supply chain better
Manufacturers and logistics providers at the Automotive Logistics Global conference are doing more to integrate their supply chains from end to end, and are keen to use data and analytics to anticipate problems before they arise.
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FeatureGlobal conference: Penske and Novelis close the loop on aluminium
One of the most significant shifts in the automotive supply chain over the past few years has been an increase in the use of aluminium in vehicle bodies. In North America, the most significant example has been for the Ford 150 truck, the best selling vehicle in the US at ...
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FeatureOpel/Vauxhall: Stable & ready to launch
Following a period of transformation and improvements in production planning, Opel is on a product offensive. Director of logistics Andreas Graffe and outbound logistics manager Michael Gorny discuss the importance of ‘frontloading’ logistics to support it. In this story... Supporting change A stable supply chain Hitting the right slot Investing ...
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![BMW Import FPOR[1]](https://d3n5uof8vony13.cloudfront.net/Pictures/100x67/0/8/3/17083_BMW-Import-FPOR1.jpg)
FeatureAnita Pieper takes over BMW’s global vehicle logistics; Ulrich Wieland to lead design of production system
Anita Pieper is to take over as vice-president of vehicle distribution and vehicle distribution centres (VDCs) at BMW Group from September 1st. She will be responsible for global vehicle logistics, plant yard and port terminal operations. Pieper replaces Dr Ulrich Wieland, who has moved to a new role in strategy ...
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FeatureJLR gets real about recycled aluminium loops
Jaguar Land Rover is taking steps to increase the amount of recycled aluminium it uses. Automotive Logistics finds out more… JLR's target is to use 75% recycled aluminium in its body structures by 2020Recycled material is playing a growing role in Jaguar Land Rover’s use of aluminium in its ...
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FeatureVolkswagen & Audi in Mexico part 3: Building in an extra level of efficiency
With VW’s Puebla plant expected to return to full capacity soon and Audi’s San José Chiapa facility poised to begin production, the Volkswagen Group in Mexico will be relying on its road, rail and port partners to meet future demand and quality standards
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FeatureVolkswagen & Audi in Mexico part 2: Everything in its right place
Audi Mexico’s upcoming plant at San José Chiapa has had logistics efficiency built into its core. Automotive Logistics talks to head of logistics and production control, Peter Koltai, about the evolution of the OEM’s first standalone factory outside Europe The 70km drive from Puebla to San José Chiapa takes ...
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FeatureVolkswagen & Audi in Mexico part 1: Sharing logistics in a state of expansion
Volkswagen Group has established new organisations and networks across VW and Audi in Mexico and North America. Automotive Logistics finds out more about this multi-brand, multi-country approach to purchasing and logistics
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FeatureFord Mexico part 2: Accelerating the pace of vehicle logistics
With a new plant set to open this summer and expansion plans for existing facilities, Ford Mexico could double its output in the next few years, as imports continue to rise. Automotive Logistics finds out how the OEM plans to strengthen its supply chain and infrastructure to cope Vehicle ...
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FeatureRussia conference: Light at the end of a long tunnel
We've seen a lot of changes at the Automotive Logistics Russia conferences over the years. Currently, it's less a case of 'winter is coming', more 'winter is here'. However, despite the bleak outlook, if automotive companies can weather the storm, the country is eventually expected to recover, write Christopher Ludwig ...
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FeatureFord Mexico part 1: A landmark investment gradually coming into focus
Aiming to double its engine and transmission capacity by 2018 and with ground to be broken on a $1.6 billion assembly plant, Ford Mexico is counting on a localised supply chain, closer logistics and reduced currency exposure to smooth its explosive growth plan By the second half of this year, ...
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FeatureMercedes-Benz USA: ‘One way or another, we always get the job done’
Rory Hepner, general manager of vehicle logistics and distribution at Mercedes-Benz USA, reveals the premium carmaker’s measures to cope with growing volumes through plant yards, ports and across the transport network, despite limited physical expansion – whether by ‘valet’ services for truckers or working more carefully with plants and logistics ...
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FeatureBrexit shockwaves go through the supply chain
For the automotive logistics sector, there was a cruel but telling irony in where the strength of the British vote to leave the EU on June 23rd first emerged. Around midnight, in one of the first areas to announce its results, the north-east city of Sunderland revealed that 61% of ...
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FVL North America conference: To ETA, or not to ETA?
In 2015, less than 5% of new vehicles sold in North America were built-to-order, compared to around 50% in Europe, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). Given that the majority of vehicles are built-to-stock the need to give dealers estimated arrival times (ETAs) in North America appears less ...
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FeatureBrexit would hurt wider European automotive logistics sector
If the United Kingdom were to leave the EU, forecasts suggests that UK vehicle sales and trade would be hit, and the effects would be felt across European plants, ports and logistics providersA vote for the UK to leave the European Union in the June 23rd referendum could cause significant ...
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FeatureWolfgang Göbel takes over ECG presidency as confidence among European providers rises
The Association of European Vehicle Logistics (ECG) has elected Wolfgang Göbel (pictured left) as its new president, succeeding Costantino Baldissara, who held the post since 2009.Göbel, who had been vice-president under Baldissara and a board member since 2003, is a long-time veteran of Germany’s Horst Mosolf, one of the largest ...
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FeatureSupply Chain Conference executive report: A connection worth more than the sum of its parts
The first Automotive Logistics Supply Chain conference explored the extreme complexity of production and service parts logistics across North America. Amid rising global and regional flows, opportunities for freight consolidation and new ways of collaborating across the industry emerged. Christopher Ludwig reports from Atlanta, Georgia.[sta_anchor id="1"]The growth in the automotive ...
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FeatureSupply Chain Conference: Mexican and intermodal shockwaves
Ryder's Juan Calvillo and FCA's Wendi Gentry-StuenkelThe rise in Mexican parts and production output is sending more material back and forth over the border, creating opportunities and challenges for intermodal services. However, Christopher Ludwig writes that manufacturers and 3PLs may need to change their organisations and approach to supplier ...