All Feature articles – Page 48
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FeatureAudi to develop closed loop for battery recycling
German carmaker Audi has begun working with Belgian materials technology and recycling partner Umicore to investigate the potential for recycling the materials in electric car batteries. The companies are looking to adopt a closed-loop approach in which valuable elements such as cobalt, nickel and copper from end-of-life batteries are recovered ...
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FeatureSupply chain a factor in Dyson’s Singapore plant
Electrical goods manufacturer Dyson has selected Singapore as the location for its first electric vehicle (EV) production plant.Jim Rowan (pictured), the CEO of the British company – which is best known for its home appliances – was quoted in media reports suggesting that the decision to make the car there ...
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FeatureNovelis puts fresh focus on automotive sector
Aluminium rolling company Novelis is setting up a network of bases to increase product development specifically for the automotive industry. Its customer solution centres (CSCs) will be located close to OEM plants in North America, China and Europe and will be used to encourage the use of aluminium in applications ...
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FeatureToyota begins making transaxles in Poland
Japanese OEM Toyota has started manufacturing the fourth generation of hybrid electric transaxles at its TMMP plant in Wałbrzych, Poland, the first factory outside Asia to make the component.Polish-made transaxles will be shipped to the company’s car plant near Derby, in central England, for use in the hatchback, wagon and ...
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FeatureWLTP hits sales and profits in Germany
Carmaker VW Group and parts supplier Schaeffler have both put weaker third-quarter financial performance down to the effects of the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).As manufacturers have phased out older passenger car models in advance of the more stringent emissions testing procedure coming into effect on September ...
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FeatureRewriting the rules
Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry wants OEMs to make huge investments in new production capacity in Russia over the coming decade, in order to continue qualifying for state aid. A bill laying down the basis of a new national localisation strategy was published in August that is designed to replace ...
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FeatureBigger vehicles, bigger challenges
Last year, GM sold around 3m vehicles in the US, with roughly 775,000 imported from Canada and Mexico and the rest coming from around the world, mainly from South Korea, China and Europe. Combining deep-sea and short-sea volumes, the carmaker used seaports to receive close to 200,000 vehicles into the ...
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FeatureOver 1,000 cars destroyed in Savona port blaze
More than 1,000 vehicles were destroyed or damaged at the Italian port of Savona last week as storm flooding of the port’s automotive terminal triggered a fire that swept through the storage yard. (pic Vigili del Fuoco)According to the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, Savona was hit by the storm ...
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FeatureLooking for the safe side in uncertain times
Europe’s finished vehicle sector faces several big challenges in coming months, as speakers at the recent ECG conference in Germany made clear. Marcus Williams reportsThe finished vehicle sector in Europe is dealing with some major challenges at the moment, including an increasingly serious driver shortage, severe fluctuations in capacity demand ...
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FeatureBMW moves to drive battery development
German carmaker BMW has formed a technology consortium with battery developer Northvolt and Umicore, a producer of active materials for battery cells, to develop a complete and sustainable value chain for batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe.BMW said its chief objective was to make battery cells sustainable by establishing ...
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FeatureFord starts shutdown at Bridgend engine plant
Work at a production line at Ford’s engine plant in Bridgend, south Wales, has been put hold for five days, just as the company starts work on building a new engine.The halt is on the AJ line which is making an engine for Jaguar, the BBC reported.A Ford spokeswoman told ...
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FeatureGaz could be sold to VW to avoid US sanctions
Volkswagen may purchase a stake in Gaz Group to help the Russian carmaker avoid US sanctions, said Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Kozak, speaking during a press conference in Moscow on October 19. Negotiations have already taken place, but the final decision has not yet been made, Kozak added.The US ...
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FeatureSantander expands area for imported vehicles
The port of Santander has opened a new Logistics Activities Zone (ZAL) that can accommodate up to 3,000 imported vehicles. The 52,258 sq.m facility is expected to handle around 30,000 units a year and is being used in conjunction with a further 27,100 sq.m area that was paved to hold ...
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FeatureGestamp opens first plant in Japan
Spanish automotive parts manufacturer Gestamp has inaugurated a manufacturing unit in Matsusaka, central Japan, the company’s first in the country. Gestamp Hot Stamping Japan will work for Japanese OEMs, starting with Honda.The tier supplier said the new plant would improve its knowledge of the needs of Japanese car manufacturers and ...
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FeatureFord appoints Chen to tackle sales slump in China
Ford is turning its business in China into a stand-alone business unit, Ford China, headed by Anning Chen (pictured). The move is part of a general reorganisation of the OEM's Asia-Pacific operations designed to return the company to profitable growth.The change takes place against a background of falling sales in ...
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FeatureSeat renews rail deal at Martorell
Spanish carmaker Seat has signed a new, three-year contract with Autometro to transport vehicles by rail from its Martorell plant to the port of Barcelona for export.Operating since 2008, the service run by Catalonia’s regional railway FGC transports an average of 105,000 vehicles a year.Under the renewed contract, several technical ...
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FeatureCeva strengthens partnership with CMA CGM
Logistics provider Ceva is to take over the freight management business of its major shareholder and strategic partner, the CMA CGM shipping line.The agreement, part of a wider shake up in the relationship between the companies, comes days after Ceva rejected a takeover bid from Danish rival DSV, which has ...
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FeatureImperial Logistics to run VW packaging centre in Wilhelmshaven
Volkswagen Group has signed a contract with Imperial Logistics International to run its packaging centre at Jade-Weser-Port in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The centre is due to open next year. In a statement, Imperial Logistics said it would take over the operation in April. “We are happy and proud ...
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FeatureŠkoda tests out drone for stocktaking
Czech carmaker Škoda is trialling an autonomous drone to identify and count containers outside its factory in Mladá Boleslav. The goal is for drone-assisted stocktaking to become a regular feature of operations in the medium term.“We are continuously working on improving the efficiency of our everyday production processes and making ...
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FeatureFCA reconsiders Ram production in Mexico
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is reported to be reconsidering its plans to cease Ram Heavy Duty (HD) pickup truck production at its Saltillo plant in Mexico. The company had previously announced it would phase out Ram HD production in Mexico by 2020 and move it to the Warren truck assembly ...