Europe – Page 13

  • Magna_Druml
    Feature

    Michael Druml takes on purchasing role at Magna

    2018-09-04T09:58:59Z

    Michael Druml (pictured) has taken over as vice-president of purchasing for Magna International Europe replacing Klaus Iffland, who has retired from the company.Druml will continue to work as director of purchasing and logistics at Magna Steyr, the company division which provides contract manufacturing and engineering services. Here he oversees purchasing, ...

  • ScaniaV8_engine
    Feature

    V8 engine production restarted at Scania

    2018-09-03T14:03:37Z

    Swedish truckmaker Scania is trying to reduce the order backlog for trucks, and industrial and marine V8 engines, because of a strike at an unnamed supplier of cast engine components, which began on June 14 and is reportedly continuing. However, last week the supplier started to produce engine blocks for ...

  • IMG_0176
    Partner Content

    Driving predictive maintenance

    2018-08-30T17:27:00Z

     Gefco’s SYNCHRO hub is using connected technology and AI to optimise service parts inventory and distribution, writes Karen McCandless

  • Marmaray_Turkey_Bosphorus
    Feature

    Standoff between the US and Turkey raises questions for OEMs

    2018-08-22T14:36:37Z

    The collapse in the value of the Turkish lira and the political stand-off between Turkey and the US have some potentially serious consequences for the continued growth of the automotive sector in the country.Car and light van production in Turkey has grown steadily in recent years, to around 1.4-1.5m vehicles ...

  • Port-of-Vigo
    Feature

    Spanish authorities impose fines at Vigo

    2018-08-22T12:28:42Z

    Spain’s National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) has imposed fines on five stevedoring companies and five port unions for colluding to restrict competition at the port of Vigo and keep prices unnaturally high.The CNMC said their collusion had prevented the loading and unloading of finished vehicles from vessels other ...

  • Hella_Inspection
    Feature

    Hella starts to reorganise its business

    2018-08-22T11:51:46Z

    German components supplier Hella has embarked on a company-wide reorganisation to take advantage of growth opportunities in a European aftermarket sector undergoing extensive changes.“On the one hand, we see an increasing consolidation within the wholesale business in Europe, which has given rise to increasingly bigger market players,” group spokesman Markus ...

  • Volkswagen Werk Wolfsburg
    Feature

    VW to increase Wolfsburg output to 1m

    2018-08-22T09:37:38Z

    Volkswagen plans to increase annual production at its German plant in Wolfsburg to a million units by 2020, meaning an additional 210,000 vehicles will be assembled at the plant. The carmaker will shift Golf production from its Zwickau (Germany) and Puebla (Mexico) plants, and add production of the forthcoming Seat ...

  • nikolai-setzer-data 2
    Feature

    Continental buys Australian tyre network

    2018-08-21T15:12:46Z

    German tyre manufacturer Continental is purchasing the 258-branch Kmart Tyre and Auto Service chain (KTAS) from Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers for 350m Australian dollars ($253m).Continental plans to drive forward what is already a strong network of outlets and expand the existing product portfolio, said Ferdinand Hoyos, head of Continental’s passenger and ...

  • GM-Uzbekistan
    Feature

    GM Uzbekistan suspends vehicle sales over pricing

    2018-08-21T09:49:04Z

    GM Uzbekistan has suspended finished vehicle sales in Uzbekistan, after failing to carry through a price increase on the domestic market there. The move follows a similar suspension in Russia – its second biggest market after Uzbekistan – for more than two months on similar grounds.Speaking at a press conference ...

  • Volkswagen Group Rus Werk in Kaluga
    Feature

    VW hit by industrial action in Russia

    2018-08-15T11:17:22Z

    Logistics workers at VW’s assembly plant in Kaluga, Russia, carried out industrial action earlier this month in protest over plans to outsource some staff, trade union MPRA said in a statement on its Facebook page, which was posted on August 6.Logistics workers implemented a go-slow policy at the plant based ...

  • 0460__S1_3114
    Feature

    Battling a perfect storm

    2018-08-14T15:08:51Z

    The finished vehicle sector in North America is dealing with a lot of challenges at the moment. There is a basic imbalance in the number of vehicles that the US imports and exports with its global trading partners, which contributes to ongoing problems involving congestion and limited capacity on hinterland ...

  • The duo trailer in action
    Feature

    Seat debuts duo trailer

    2018-08-08T10:21:58Z

    Spanish OEM Seat and transport provider Grupo Sesé have begun to pilot a double trailer truck combination to see if it can reduce the cost of delivering inbound components by a quarter.The double trailer approach could help reduce the number of large trucks on the road by 50%, which implies ...

  • Inspektion_zweier_Autos_in_Werkstatt
    Feature

    Hella disposes of two operations

    2018-08-08T10:08:36Z

    German automotive components and services firm Hella Group is selling its wholesale companies in Denmark and Poland to Swedish aftermarket company Mekonomen to concentrate its activities on the independent spare parts business and develop workshop equipment.“As part of this, we are accelerating the interaction between the divisions and opening up ...

  • 021-09-Acumen-enclosed-car-carriers-1000x646
    Feature

    Acumen expands enclosed fleet

    2018-08-07T11:35:15Z

    UK-based Acumen Automotive Logistics is investing almost £800,000 ($1.03m) in four enclosed semi-trailers to meet rising demand for covered vehicle transport.Three new Belle Trailers units and one Rolfo trailer are joining Acumen’s enclosed fleet, which has more than doubled in size within five years from 13 to 30 vehicles.The trailers ...

  • Ford_Ergostation_web
    Feature

    Ford uses motion tracking to improve workstations

    2018-08-07T10:21:56Z

    Ford is using motion tracking technology on workers at its Almussafes plant, in Spain, to help it design less physically stressful workstations on the production line. The OEM said the goal was to reduce worker injuries while making the workstations more efficient and improving manufacturing quality.In a pilot project, workers ...

  • Marchionne_hi_res
    Feature

    After Marchionne, what next for Fiat Chrysler?

    2018-08-06T16:41:57Z

    Sergio Marchionne (pictured), former CEO at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), was a remarkable man. He frequently dominated the automotive industry’s headlines and news agenda over the last decade or so and his recent passing away robs the industry of one of its few stars. In an age when corporate suits ...

  • HalewoodJLR
    Feature

    Exports prop up UK car production despite trade uncertainty

    2018-08-01T15:17:31Z

    The number of cars made in the UK fell by 5.5% to 128,799 last month, with domestic demand plummeting by 47.2% to 15,647, according to figures from the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). However, production was bolstered by a 6% rise in exports to 113,152 units, with almost ...

  • Juncker_Trump
    Feature

    Vehicle makers grapple with cost of trade wars

    2018-08-01T14:53:06Z

    Carmakers are faced with shifting production, higher purchase costs, lower profits and the possibility of raising the price of their products as a consequence of the continuing global trade conflict.Volvo Cars of Sweden is shifting production of its XC60 SUV for the US market from China to Europe to avoid ...

  • Shanghai-RORO-Terminal-300x225
    Feature

    Yusen buys share in JV with NYK and Anji

    2018-08-01T14:17:52Z

    Yusen Logistics has bought a 20% share in the existing joint venture between its parent company NYK and China’s Anji Automotive Logistics for an undisclosed sum. Yusen bought the 20% share from NYK, which previously held 49% of the company. A spokesperson for the company said that the decision to ...

  • Automotive-carriers-Russia1
    Feature

    Russia's car exports fail to meet forecasts

    2018-07-30T09:34:44Z

    Russian vehicle exports are behind government expectations, despite being up 3% on last year’s figures. The country exported 34,200 finished vehicles between January and May this year, according to the country’s Federal Custom Service, but due to the logistics subsidies and other state support measures that have been made, the ...