Europe – Page 131
-
Feature
EDITOR’S NOTE: Get to know your customers' long term plans
Unpredictability continues to define this economic era. For the third time in as many years, trouble in Greece has left eurozone financial markets in turmoil, while Spain is getting a bank bailout. The Chinese economy has slowed, while India and Brazil too have hit a snag. The US, with weak ...
-
FeatureSailing on uncertain seas in South America
Stormy arrival;Uncertain legislation;Fiat forges ahead;Chinese imports tamed;Ford goes it alone;Expanding in the south;Argentina and red tape;CAT taps Delta Dock.The Latin American vehicle trade was strong in 2011, with its ports ranking among the largest in the western hemisphere for new car handling. But operators in Brazil and Argentina face new ...
-
FeatureMoving towards modernisation at FAW
The logistics arm of China’s FAW Group is investing in resources and strengthening its organisation in preparation for the challenges that will come with being a public company, according to its head, Kan Shanggang.An important group entity;FAW logistics;Rail and waterway;Expanding the business;The customer is the important challenge.As China’s carmakers have ...
-
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 ...
-
FeatureSearching for the best connection
Size does count;Converting the masses;The name of the aim;Scheme goes large;Potential for progress.Malcolm Wheatley reports on the development of an open-source EDI connector that aims to extend electronic business-to-business connectivity to the smaller and medium-size suppliers in Europe’s automotive industry.Based just outside of Barcelona, aluminium diecasting manufacturer Ruffini counts among ...
-
FeatureIn Profile: Inna Kuznetsova
Inna Kuznetsova’s background is unique compared to most in the automotive and logistics industries. Having studied non-linear differential equations at Moscow State university, she left mathematics for business when academic funding dried up in the Perestroika years of the Soviet Union. Although growing up in what she calls the ‘gone ...
-
FeatureTied to the green principle
Regulatory realities;The real cost of regulations;Strategies for reducing emissions and cost;How to measure emissions;Future trends.Andrew Williams reports on how LSPs are attempting to reduce emissions and costs in response to environmental concerns and changing regulationsIn recent years, automotive logistics companies have come under increasing pressure to improve the environmental performance ...
-
FeatureNorth American ports on a rising tide
New vehicle handling is recovering strongly in North American ports, with OEMs and operators looking to improve processing throughput, scheduling and capacity. But will increases in North American production lead to fewer imports? Additional reporting by Christopher Ludwig.Mexican ports in the lead;A shifting network;Premium VPC operations;Ford looks to software improvements;3PL ...
-
FeatureAutomotive sector can do better on innovation
When it comes to innovations in logistics, the automotive industry is good at confirming the merits of its own success, but it might do better to look beyond its own factories towards solutions from other industries, as there are signs it is losing ground in logistics developments as it continues ...
-
FeatureBreaking down barriers
Vendor challanges;Building a safe supply chain;Choosing the right packaging;The devil and the deep blue sea.Ramesh Kumar talks to those involved with India’s complex logistics operations at Hyundai and Fiat about issues such as supplier challenges, seasonal changes, crossdocking aspirations, packaging priorities and controlling supply.Complexity is the name of the game ...
-
FeatureTaking everything on board at Ford
Interview with Dr Hans-Bert Bong, Ford’s manager of vehicle logistics and customs, about changes in the carmaker’s European distribution network.Emissions and regulation;Capacity and Service;Advantage for the UK;OTD System;RFID.Improvements in service and efficiency within a mature distribution network, such as that used by Ford of Europe, are more likely to come ...
-
FeatureCar carrier freight rates show Q1 spike
Car carrier freight rates between Europe and China showed a significant increase in February, rising from $50 per cubic metre (p/cbm) in December last year to $64p/cbm in February before settling down to $53 p/cbm in April.Given that rate levels are largely driven by supply and demand, the figures could ...
-
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 ...
-
FeatureTracking for potential across the Russian expanse
Broad networks;Rail growth;Pricing and Investment;Efficiency Improvements.Restrictive price structures, poor infrastructure and capacity shortages must be addressed if Russia’s railways are to carry its share of the vast country’s increasing vehicle demand.Considering Russia’s size, railways would seem to be the ideal mode for long distance transport. While rail has certain competitive ...
-
FeatureIndia expects to remain a fast-moving market
Indian sales have hit a snag, but many in the industry see growth resuming quickly, with demand for logistics also rising amid growing investment and supply chain complexity. Ramesh Kumar reports from India. Additional reporting by Malcolm Wheatley.Days in the life;Growth continues;A move towards effficiency and consolidation;What will the legal ...
-
FeatureDiversity in distribution
Central supply, but moving eastward; A limited role for rail; Increasing delivery frequency; A changing landscape; Targeting better service. As aftermarket demand increases in Russia's central and eastern regions, Anthony Coia reports how logistics services need to adapt.As the development of Russia’s automotive market thrives, the geographical variation of the ...
-
FeatureTransport quality is priority for Russia
At last week's Automotive Logistics Russia conference in Moscow carmakers were asked a simple question by TL Group's general manager, Alexander Kostomarov: what is more important - quality or cost? But the answer was not evident based on Kostomarov's observation of the Russian vehicle logistics market. He pointed ...
-
FeatureExecutives on the move
After ten years as Ford of Europe's manager for vehicle planning, logistics and customs, Dr Hans-Bert Bong will take over responsibility for Ford's material flow and supply chain management in Europe from 1st July. Bong, who has been the manager of vehicle logistics and customs at the company since ...
-
FeatureGlobal round up
Honda to build logistics centre in SpainHonda has announced plans to build a new logistics centre in Santa Perpetua de Mogoda, near Barcelona in Spain. The new facility, expected to be approximately 24,000-square-metres and due to open in late 2013, will be located on part of the existing 86,000-square-metre ...
-
FeatureToyota to shift Japan-made US Yaris exports to Europe
Starting next May Toyota will build its Yaris models destined for the US, Canada and Puerto Rico in France rather than Japan. The Yaris model is already built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing France (TMMF) near Valenciennes but models exported to North America are currently made at the Toyota ...