All Feature articles – Page 268
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FeatureGM merges Africa operations
General Motors has announced this week that it is combining its operations in Africa into a new business unit with immediate effect.GM Africa will now incorporate Sub-Saharan operations, including manufacturing in South Africa, with North Africa, including its production facilities in Egypt and Kenya. “Bringing our operations in Africa ...
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FeatureIntegrated services take off for DHL
DHL’s supply chain division is boosting revenue with cross-sector strategies and lead logistics services in the automotive industry. Marcus Williams looks at the company’s development in Europe. DHL Supply Chain is the world’s largest contract logistics company, and one of the more advanced in providing lead logistics provider (LLP) ...
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FeatureWorking on the build-to-order dream
Despite the obvious complications that build-to-order brings, carmakers are still interested in the principle. An analysis which considers the global changes in the industry, and whether building such a car in just a few days can ever become a reality?In middle of last September, helped by her father, 18-year-old UK ...
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FeatureGleaming the cube
Simple, standardised packaging can help achieve increased container fill, flexibility and safety.The globalisation of automotive supply chains has prompted many changes in the packaging of automotive parts. Most parts moving in markets across Asia are shipped in expendable packaging, as are parts shipped across continents. There are some signs that ...
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FeatureGM's winning students propose future supply chains
A competition to encourage business students to look positively at careers in the automotive supply chain unearthed a wealth of innovation and opportunity. GM's Bill Hurles (left) with the winning team was made up of: Caleb Harshbarger, a junior from Botkins, Ohio; Xianwu (Ken) Lin, a junior from China; ...
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FeatureLabouring over a launch in India
Many new vehicles have been successfully and smoothly unveiled in India but, as Ramesh Kumar reports, the delivery of each model poses its own challenges, with some logistical difficulties unique to the model’s country of birth.Creation is a unique phenomenon, whether in making a new life or a new product. ...
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FeaturePaint repair: A work of body art
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 ...
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FeatureLooking for drivers of change in North American trucking
Trucking capacity in North America is balanced but still faces strains thanks to driver shortages and changing regulations. Carriers are responding with fleet investments, IT upgrades and a shift to paperless billings.The number of new vehicle sales in the United States continued to grow in 2012, on pace for an ...
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FeatureDaimler expansion pushes distribution changes
With a global onslaught of new models planned over the next three years, Daimler’s logistics team is anticipating an increase in transport demand for its main manufacturing bases in Europe and beyond.In November, Daimler once again gathered its vehicle logistics providers for its annual European Carrier Day, held at the ...
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FeatureChristine Krathwohl and the global power player that is GM
GM’s intercontinental material shipments have risen dramatically, changing the dynamic of logistics management and purchasing at the carmaker. Christine Krathwohl, executive director of global logistics and supplier diversity, tells how she is looking for global logistics engineering from providers and increased visibility to keep costs and flows under control.General Motors’ ...
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FeatureECG: How to stop that sinking feeling
Confidence is at a new low in Europe and companies are struggling to survive. Costantino Baldissara calls for a unified approach.Everyone knows that these are difficult times for the European automotive industry and vehicle logistics sector. With the exception of a shortlived rally at the beginning of last year, we ...
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FeatureCollaboration in China - also known as 'huddling for warmth'
Ellen Hua finds China’s logistics providers keen to pull together as growth in the country slows, putting an emphasis on building partnerships between larger and smaller providers and carmakers.With China’s economic growth and its integration into the global supply chain, logistics service providers in the country’s automotive sector have had ...
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FeatureIf seeing is believing, IT solutions are at hand
The old complaints about track-and-trace capabilities – or the lack of them – persist in vehicle logistics, but progress is being made in last-mile visibility and electronic proof of delivery. At the Hyundai group logistics specialist Glovis Europe, work is well under way on a new IT system. Its role? ...
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FeaturePrem Verma and the coming outbound network for Tata
Tata’s vehicle logistics are changing; from transporting trucks on trailers to providing milkrun deliveries to rural dealers, Christopher Ludwig talks to Prem Verma about the current and coming outbound network in India.Prem Verma, the man responsible for delivering Tata Motors passenger cars and commercial vehicles, is fluent in logistics, able ...
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FeatureA more Russian logistics network
Russia’s new automotive boom is served by a decidedly different network than in 2008, with more local production, increasing use of domestic ports, and growing sales beyond St Petersburg and Moscow. Anthony Coia reports.With 2012 new vehicle sales likely to finish 7-10% higher than 2011 – at around 3m units ...
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FeatureBenteler gets global visibility
While visibility in the supply chain is a goal for all logistics managers, for many at automotive tier suppliers it is often more of a mantra than an existing management tool – repeat it enough, and hopefully its meaning will seep through to operational reality.That is because many suppliers lack ...
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FeatureCounterfeit parts are costing the industry billions
There is evidence of (un)healthy growth in the global trade of counterfeit parts and vehicles, which not only carries risks to the safety of the end-user, but also to the brand reputations of carmakers. Some important discoveries of such parts have been found during customs crackdowns at major logistics centres.A ...
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FeatureVW’s European exports to China will still grow
Volkswagen appears to be looking at exports to China as one option of maintaining plant output in Europe and minimising the risk of inventory build-up. According to its CEO, Martin Winterkorn, speaking from Sao Paolo in Brazil last November, the company could soon be exporting around 200,000 cars, including Audi ...
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FeatureEurope short sea funding could sink or swim
European Union member states are currently debating a funding proposal from the European Commission under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) that could deliver €31.7 billion ($41 billion) to improve transport infrastructure across the region. That sum is part of a bigger CEF figure of €50 billion that must also cover ...
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FeatureRo-ro carriers keep on rolling on
Ro-ro carriers have been able to manage capacity and market swings better than many, but shifting vehicle flows, fuel cost rises and a volatile market may make the coming years the hardest yet to balance, reports Jonathan Ward. The global ro-ro and pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) market ...