All Feature articles – Page 314
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SKDs answer to Russian import tax
As Russia contemplates raising import duties on foreign-made finished vehicles still further, foreign carmakers are continuing to negotiate the high cost with the assembly of vehicles from complete and semi-knockdown kits shipped to the country which are subject to a much lower level of import tax. Mitsubishi, Renault and VW ...
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China adds fifth port for vehicle imports
By Namrita Chow, Asia correspondent China’s southern port of Qinzhou, on the border with Vietnam, will begin finished vehicle imports next month and has established bonded checkpoint services for the purpose. The move is significant given China’s restrictions on the number of ports with permission to accept vehicle imports ...
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Turning virtual orders into reality at Ford
Better logistics means better cash flowGlobal order to deliveryOne order system for one FordShifting the lead focus to outbound logisticsNorth America todayThe evolving Ford networkWhen should the capacity come back?EighthCross-continental vehicle flows, programming logistics into the order-to-delivery process and keeping an eye on costs are all part of the logistics ...
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WWL wants to slow down at sea, but stop standing still
Over the next five years ocean forwarders will face new regulation on air emissions and fuel charges that are likely to raise costs significantly. Among the looming changes will be the creation in 2012 of a 200-nautical mile Emission Control Area (ECA) around North America, stipulating the use of ECA ...
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Get ready for risk if you want new routes
Shipping lines should exploit the current crisis in world trade to combine volumes and offer carmakers new trade routes, according to VW. But shipping lines are more likely to consolidate routes rather than volumes, while reducing unit costs with larger ships. Could moving containers together with ro-ro be an answer?Speaking ...
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Delays don't dampen hope for India's GST
Despite further delays to the proposed implementation of a new general sales tax (GST) regime in India, which would eliminate state-enforced cross-border taxes and replace them with a unified, more efficient system, carmakers are responding positively to the transformation of the fragmented automotive supply chain the new system promises in ...
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Mahindra claim invalid says distributor
Mahindra and Mahindra’s announcement that it has terminated its four-year contract with Global Vehicles USA for the import and distribution of its pick up trucks has been refuted by the Georgia-based company. In a statement issued by Global Vehicles’ last week, spokesman Max Butler said the claim was “inaccurate”. “While ...
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Schneider Logistics sells freight and customs business
Schneider Logistics is selling its freight forwarding and customs brokerage business in the US and China to European logistics provider Norbert Dentressangle. The sale, which includes seven locations in the US and two in China, and is estimated to have annual sales of $29m, is expected to be complete by ...
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Will Russia really raise tariffs again?
Russia’s prime minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday that the government would further raise import tariffs on foreign-produced vehicles over the next few years up from the 25% duty it currently imposes on vehicles coming into the country. Exact figures were not given but carmakers and ro-ro providers are bracing ...
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Acumen delivers Land Rover to UK region
Tata-owned Jaguar Land Rover has chosen Acumen Automotive Logistics to deliver Land Rover vehicles to dealerships in the southwest of England from the carmaker’s Gaydon plant in the UK Midlands. The contract was tendered earlier this year by Ford on behalf of JLR because Ford retains outbound logistics contracts for ...
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Strike action continues to hit South Africa
Strike action has hit South Africa's automotive industry once again this week with the National Union of Metal Workers South Africa (NUMSA) again calling for workers in the automotive sector to take action today over a wage dispute. "Our selected demands include a minimum of R20 per hour in the ...
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Maruti's local focus good news for LSPs
Indian carmaker Maruti Suzuki is limiting vehicle exports to 15% of its overall production and focusing more on the domestic Indian market, where the company expects car sales to double in the next five to six years. But rather than representing a control on growth for those logistics providers supporting ...
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Executives on the move
Evolution Time Critical has appointed Alex Burnett as its new European sales development manager. Burnett, who previously worked at TNT, will be responsible for forging relationships with European car manufacturers and their tier suppliers. "With four years' logistics experience in the armed forces and ten years in sales and operations ...
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VW makes progress on Chattanooga centre
Volkswagen of America has started work on an $8.4m logistics centre to support output from its Chattanooga assembly plant currently under construction in Tennessee and due to start production of a new mid-size sedan next year. Last week saw work begin on the accessory processing building on the outbound logistics ...
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Carriers forced to cope with smaller ports
By Namrita Chow The growth in commercial vehicle sales in China, South America and Africa is forcing ocean forwarders to use smaller ports that are closer to the manufacturing base but which do not have proper ro-ro provision. Commercial vehicle sales in China are increasing dramatically with a total 903,202 ...
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Global news in brief
Fiat-Chrysler to bring Alfa Romeo to USThe greater cross-continental production and export exchanges promised under Fiat Chrysler’s five-year plan back in April took another step forward this week with the announcement that Fiat dealerships in the US are likely to stock Alfa Romeo vehicles by 2012. About 200 Fiat franchises ...
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Making the best of a bad situation
Survey results released this week from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport show that the majority of transport providers in the UK think that government spending should target economic growth and reduce congestion. They also show that making the best use of existing infrastructure is more important than building ...
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Mahindra network grows with Ssangyong purchase
Mahindra & Mahindra’s bid to purchase a majority stake in South Korean SUV maker, Ssangyong Motor Company, is set to go ahead following its establishment as preferred bidder at the end of last week, a move that will bring the logistics operations of both companies together and could involve Mahindra ...
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Fiat to deliver in China from joint venture plant
By Namrita Chow Fiat is planning to make 140,000 vehicles in China in 2012 at a new joint venture plant currently under construction in Changsha, Hunan Province, with distribution supported by the company’s shared logistics organisation with Chrysler. The company plans to increase output by a further 160,000 within ...
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Global news in brief
Saab looks for import partners in South AmericaSaab is seeking long-term partners for import and distribution in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina as it pursues a major expansion in South America as part of international restructuring following its division from GM and new ownership by Spyker. The importers, which will be ...