All Feature articles – Page 130
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FeatureChristian Mörtl takes up lead role at time:matters
Christian Mörtl (pictured) is taking up the role of managing director of operations and finance at time:matters, the freight expeditor subsidiary of Germany’s Lufthansa Cargo. Mörtl moves from his previous role as head of aircraft handling at the parent company and succeeds Armin Hamm, who left time:matters at the end ...
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UK car output hits 16-year high amid 'Brexit' concerns
The UK passenger car market has enjoyed its best half-year performance in terms of vehicle production since 2000, latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) have shown, manufacturing more than 897,000 cars – a rise of 13% on the same period last year.June saw the eleventh ...
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FeatureMercedes-Benz Vans starts work on US plant to cut lead times
Nikki Haley, governor of South Carolina, and Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz VansMercedes-Benz Vans is to end supply of semi-knockdown (SKD) Sprinter van kits to the US from Germany and set up a new $500m plant in North Charleston, South Carolina before the end of the decade. The company ...
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FeatureVolvo Trucks: High, heavy and smart
[sta_anchor id="1"]Volvo Trucks North America is improving its complex delivery network across the US, including investments in new technology and in supporting its carriersReflecting continued strength in the US economy as well as sustained low oil prices, last year saw strong growth for sales of medium-and-heavy trucks in the US. ...
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ECG column: Evolution, not revolution
Newly elected ECG president Wolfgang Göbel believes the industry’s mood of optimism in Europe is the perfect backdrop against which to make progress during his tenureIn this, my first article since being elected president of ECG at the 2016 General Assembly in May, I would like to take the opportunity ...
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Feature2015 North American port survey: Ports get an extra lift from a rise in imports
[sta_anchor id="1"]Our annual survey found most ports are seeing strong imports across North America, leading (in some cases) to parking constraints and vessel bunching. The future may look different, but operators and OEMs need to get smart about spaceOur survey of North American ports for 2015 confirmed partly what we ...
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FeatureSouth Africa: Flagging but still fighting
[sta_anchor id="1"]South Africa’s economy is battling problems, but its vehicle exports and role in global vehicle programmes mean it continues to attract investmentSouth Africa’s economy is in the doldrums. A rout in commodity prices has damaged consumer spending power. The country is skirting perilously close to having its debt rating ...
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FeatureDeliveries are feeling the crunch
If you can’t get your product to market, every other competitive advantage is lost – a problem Europe’s OEMs could face as transport capacity tightens for moving finished vehiclesNew vehicle registrations across Europe have been rising, including double-digit sales increases in recent months across the EU. ACEA, the European carmaker’s ...
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FeatureARS Altmann begins finished vehicle services in the UK
German finished vehicle logistics provider ARS Altmann will begin road-based deliveries in the UK in August, following the delivery of its first 20 car transporters this month. The move follows the company’s establishment of a subsidiary in the UK last year.The first 20 transporters are made up of trailers provided ...
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STVA and GB Railfreight move cars through Channel Tunnel
For the first time in five years, a train transporting finished vehicles has travelled through the Channel Tunnel on a route from the UK to Belgium, Groupe Eurotunnel has revealed.GB Railfreight, the rail freight subsidiary of Groupe Eurotunnel, provided the train on behalf of European automotive transport specialist STVA UK, ...
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FeatureChinese exports rise in June but finish half-year lower
China exported 68,000 vehicles in June – up more than 21% on the previous month. While the overall figure was no higher than in June 2015, exports of passenger cars for the month saw an increase of 13.4% year on year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).In ...
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FeatureFord reveals five-year deal in Russia with Vectura
[Updated July 28th] Uncertainty in the Russian automotive market has left many firms unwilling to enter into long-term agreements, but Ford and Vectura – the Russian branch of Polish finished vehicle logistics provider Adampol – have revealed a new five-year contract signed back in September that will see Vectura handling ...
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Indian Railways aims to boost car moves with Auto Express service
Indian Railways has launched an ‘Auto Express’ train service to carry finished vehicles in both directions between Gurgaon and Nidvanda. The state-run rail giant hopes to increase the number of vehicles carried on the route from 2,000 a month to around 6,000 as it targets a 25% share in national ...
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FeatureBMW consolidates air freight shipments between US and Germany
BMW’s division in North America has confirmed it will start using an air freight service for the regular import and export of parts between the US and Germany. Flights are due to start in November.The service, called the Senator Atlantic Bridge, is being set up by German distributor Senator International, ...
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FeatureDaimler granted preliminary approval for new plant near Moscow
Daimler has applied to Russia’s Ministry of Industry for a special investment contract (SIC) to start assembling Mercedes-Benz passenger cars at a site near Moscow by 2018. Regional governor Andrey Vorobiev said at a recent press conference that the plant would be located near Sheremetyevo International Airport and would have ...
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Last mile: Blocking errors bit by bit
Block chains, the technology that powers the virtual bitcoin currency, could be used to simplify and revolutionise information exchange in the automotive supply chain in the near futureThe finance industry has been jolted by the advent of bitcoins, but finally, after six years, it has recognised the potential of the ...
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FeatureChina: Cutting costs and creating efficiency
The evolution of inbound and outbound networks is reflecting Chinese economic slowdown and reforms, as well as opportunities for stronger, more advanced automotive logistics services[sta_anchor id="1"]China’s passenger car market has been in a period of hyper-growth, rising more than fourfold over the past decade. However, with sales slowing to single ...
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FeatureHyundai Mobis begins operations at logistics centre in Belgium
Hyundai-Kia’s parts division, Hyundai Mobis, has started operations at a new logistics centre in Belgium.The 56,000-sq.m centre in Beringen will serve as a hub for six regional distribution centres across Europe – in the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden and Hungary. It will also ship parts directly to service centres ...
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FeatureTesla’s supply chain set for a surge
Tesla has captured the car industry’s collective imagination in many ways since its start-up in 2008, including how it builds and sells its electric vehicles.Besides the novelty of the products themselves, the intrigue is partly down to co-founder Elon Musk, one of the great entrepreneurs of this generation, seen in ...
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FeatureICO expands vehicle terminals at port of Zeebrugge
NYK’s stevedoring subsidiary International Car Operators (ICO) is expanding ro-ro terminal capacity at the Belgian port of Zeebrugge, after an 11% increase in ro-ro traffic at the port in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, to 1.38m vehicles.ICO’s Benelux division is extending three ...