All Feature articles – Page 89
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LCVs recovering better than passenger cars in Russian market
The light commercial vehicle (LCV) market in Russia is experiencing a better recovery than that of light passenger vehicles – though it will be some time yet before it achieves pre-crisis levels, Tatiana Hristova, manager CEE – European Light Vehicle Sales Forecast at IHS Automotive, has suggested.Speaking to Automotive Logistics ...
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Škoda opens automated warehouse at Czech plant
Škoda Auto has opened an automated small parts warehouse at its Kvasiny plant in the Czech Republic.The company said the €8m ($9.3m) investment was one of the biggest logistics projects in its modern history, adding that it would improve efficiency and make its on-site logistics processes more flexible.“With the new ...
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Bo Andersson named as president of Yazaki Europe
Bo Andersson (pictured) has replaced Horst Rudolph as president of parts supplier, Yazaki Europe. The former CEO at Russian carmaker Avtovaz officially took on the role in mid-July.Amongst its products, Japan-headquartered Yazaki says it is the world’s largest producer of wiring harnesses.Last year, Andersson stepped down as CEO at Avtovaz, ...
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time:matters extends flight services from Germany to UK and Ireland
German freight expeditor time:matters has announced additional flights for its spare parts logistics service, adding a route from southern Germany to Birmingham in the UK and to Dublin, Ireland.A third Saab 340 aircraft will join the existing planes departing every night from Baden-Airpark, west of Stuttgart, near the French border.“Almost ...
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Report warns of costs and jobs threat from border adjustment tax
A new report by the Boston Consulting Group has estimated a border adjustment tax, encapsulated within the broader corporate tax reform being pursued by US politicians, would result in US carmakers and suppliers paying $34 billion in annual import taxes while recouping only just over a third of that on ...
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Evolution Time Critical expands Atlanta control centre
UK-based time-sensitive logistics services supplier, Evolution Time Critical (ETC), has expanded its North American control centre in Atlanta, adding what it terms “significant numbers” of additional staff in response to growing demand from the automotive sector.The Atlanta, Georgia office was only established late last year. Since then, demand for ETC’s ...
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UK to invest in battery technology as it targets 2040 diesel and petrol ban
UK business and energy secretary Greg Clark (pictured) has announced the first phase of a £246m ($320m) government investment in battery technology in the country. Known as the Faraday Challenge, the four-year investment round is a part of the government’s Industrial Strategy.The investment was revealed just a day before the ...
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Fraunhofer IIS to test new multi-directional RFID antenna
The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) has invited applications from companies interested in helping it test a new, multi-directional RFID reader antenna that it believes will provider higher read range and accuracy than current antennas in difficult environments.The Multibeam Antenna, which features nine directional beams, can be used to ...
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Electric Mini to be built in UK with drivetrains from Germany
BMW has confirmed it will build the fully electric version of the Mini at its existing plant in Oxford in the UK – although the drivetrain will be manufactured at the OEM’s e-mobility centre at the Dingolfing and Landshut plants in Germany.The BMW Group currently produces electrified models, including hybrids, ...
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Shift in powertrains drives strong growth in battery production
Production of lithium-ion batteries, like these ones at Nissan's Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant, looks set to soarAccelerating growth in electric and hybrid vehicle production is opening up a range of new supply chains across all areas of the automotive industry – not least in battery cell production.With vehicle manufacturers ...
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Jaguar Land Rover’s first overseas engine plant opens in China
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the Tata Motors subsidiary, has opened its first overseas engine plant in Changshu, China, as part of its joint venture with local car company, Chery.The plant will initially build the new Ingenium 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine at a rate of 130,000 units a year. The production line ...
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Russian automotive industry concerned by rising Platon toll rate
Concerns are growing in the Russian automotive sector about the rising costs of the Platon electronic toll system, Elizaveta Korshunova, head of outbound logistics at Gaz Group, revealed at the recent Automotive Logistics Russia summit.Korshunova said the toll had already raised transport costs for finished vehicles in Russia by nearly ...
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Stena Line to introduce larger ships on Rotterdam-Harwich route
Stena Line plans to replace the two vessels currently servicing its Rotterdam to Harwich route with two larger ships, due to increased demand.The ro-ro ships Capucine and Severine, which operate twice daily from Europoort in the Netherlands to Harwich in the UK, will be replaced by the larger vessels MV ...
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Gentry-Stuenkel to lead supply chain at FCA US; Brazeau takes on combined logistics role
Wendi Gentry-Stuenkel (pictured) is now head of supply chain management at FCA – North America, assuming the company’s top supply chain role in the region with responsibilities for volume planning and logistics as well as a number of other cross-functional tasks. She replaced Steve Beahm with effect from June 30th, ...
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Liberty House buys parts supplier Amtek UK out of administration
Liberty House has acquired the assets of manufacturer Amtek Aluminium Castings and King Automotive Systems (Amtek UK) from administrators PWC in a rescue deal for an undisclosed sum.Amtek UK, a cast aluminium engine and components supplier to carmakers, has two plants in the West Midlands and one at Witham, in ...
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Digitalisation: for better or for worse, you can't just ignore it
Disruption or continuous improvement? That is the question over what digitalisation, autonomy and electrification will do to automotive logistics. Will new players swipe away older ones as though deleting undesirables on an app, or will technology improve efficiency and customer reach?The stock market drives the bleaker outlook for some. With ...
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New UK customs system may not be ready in time for Brexit
The UK Audit Office has warned in a report this week that while progress has been made in designing and developing the new Customs Declaration Service (CDS), there is a risk its full functionality and scope will not be in place by the time the UK leaves the EU in ...
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Stronger than ever
ECG president Wolfgang Göbel sees plenty of things to celebrate this year – even if political turmoil and gridlock are getting in the wayLast issue, I wrote that 2017 was on track to be ECG’s busiest year yet. In this edition I am happy to say that continues to be ...
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UK extends financial support for export trade to supply chain SMEs
The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) has said it will provide government-backed financial support to supply chain companies involved in exporting goods from the country, including those from the automotive sector.The UK’s export credit agency, UK Export Finance (UKEF), which works alongside the DIT, plans to help both exporters ...
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Chinese consortium bids $11.6 billion for Global Logistic Properties
Singapore’s Global Logistic Properties (GLP) has received a S$16 billion ($11.6 billion) takeover offer from a consortium of Chinese investors, in what would be the biggest private equity buyout of an Asian company by enterprise value.GLP, which owns and operates a global portfolio of 55m sq.m of space, announced a ...