Features – Page 12
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FeatureWater woes: how European river transport projects have ground to a halt
In Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Poland the authorities are embarking on big projects aimed at boosting cargo flows along key rivers. Potentially, this could provide more opportunities for the European finished vehicle logistics industry, but for a number of reasons it is not clear that river transport in the region will become more popular.
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FeatureAl-air: a better battery for EVs?
A long-range, lightweight, cost-efficient, recyclable and ethically sourced battery is, arguably, the Holy Grail of the EV market. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are currently the main focus of multibillion-dollar investments by OEMs and tier suppliers, but there are other contenders that could offer a breakthrough with alternative technology. One of them is the aluminium-air (Al-air) battery.
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FeatureFighting back against fake parts
Counterfeit parts in the automotive industry will soon be worth more than the annual gross domestic product of Canada, Brazil or Italy. According to World Trademark Review, the estimated global economic cost of counterfeiting in the automotive industry could reach $2.3 trillion by 2022. In Europe, it is estimated that €2.2 billion ($2.4 billion) is lost annually to counterfeit tyre sales alone, while counterfeit battery sales effectively steal €180m ($198m) from OEMs. Furthermore, the rise of e-commerce is making it ever easier for consumers to knowingly or unknowingly access counterfeit, possibly dangerous vehicle parts.
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FeatureBMW’s balance of power
BMW already has a 6% share of the market for new registered battery electric and photovoltaic electric vehicles but to meet the increase in demand in the coming years it has plans to have 1m fully electric and hybrid vehicles on the road by the end of 2021. In preparation it is moving battery production closer to its main areas of global assembly
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FeatureTaking the assault out of the battery
The traceability of raw materials used in the production of lithium-ion batteries, such as lithium and cobalt, is one of the main sustainability challenges faced by carmakers who are investing to meet the consumer demand and regulatory pressures behind the electric vehicle revolution
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FeatureThe rules of the battery game
Logistics providers charged with the transport of lithium-ion batteries to the assembly lines and services centres have some very complex regulatory standards to which they have to adhere – it is a legislative jungle out there
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FeatureWeighing the cost of the EV revolution
The rise in the number of electric vehicles being transported in Europe is bringing with it some significant challenges for those carriers tasked with volume shipments. They are having to deal with heavier and higher voltage vehicles that need charging on routes that cross countries with differing regulations on load dimensions
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InterviewMena aftermarket: Playing a bigger part
Overall economic growth may be lacklustre, but automotive aftermarket sales are on the increase in the Middle East and North Africa…
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FeaturePairing up for progress: The advance of digital twins
A computer-based tool for process planning, quality checking, monitoring systems and a wide range of other uses, digital twinning is increasingly making its presence felt across the automotive industry. In essence, this is a version of something in real life, such as a piece of machinery, a production line or a supply chain operation, which is recreated on a desktop computer or a tablet. Digital twins are now used across manufacturing and warehouse operations to manage material flow, complete the order-to-delivery process and make efficiency and quality improvements in vehicle production.
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FeatureQ&A: Pascal Trummer, Magna International
The tier supplier’s vice-president of sales and marketing in Europe discusses major trends in the automotive industry, plus the state of the market in Central and Eastern Europe
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NewsShifting gears: How Skoda automated Vrchlabí
The smallest of Skoda’s production plants, the Vrchlabí site in the Czech Republic has been producing direct shift transmissions for the Volkswagen Group since 2012..
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FeatureKeeping calm: RNM Alliance’s Mark Sutcliffe on how to handle supply chain volatility
The automotive industry is undergoing a technological transformation and facing upheavals in key markets, but the OEM’s senior vice-president of industrial strategy and supply chain management believes there are ways to successfully tackle these changes
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FeatureIn the zone at Jebel Ali port
With a multi-tier parking facility holding around 27,000 car equivalent units (CEU), Jebel Ali is the biggest port in the Middle East and the 11th largest worldwide. The port has four terminals connecting to more than 150 other ports through 80 weekly services, and its activity accounts for 26.1% of Dubai’s GDP. In 2018, 82% of Dubai’s automotive trade passed through Jebel Ali, worth $31.6 billion in vehicles, tyres, parts and accessories.
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FeatureSuppliers set CEE on firm foundations
In the decades since the end of the Cold War, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has been attracting automotive components suppliers by virtue of its cheap labour, low taxes and convenient geographical location. Now, the region is aiming to maintain or even build on its gains in the face of vehicle electrification, rising global competition and other challenges.
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FeatureRunning short: US trucking sector battles driver deficit
Car transporters across the US are feeling the effects of a significant shortage of drivers across the finished vehicle logistics sector – and are searching for the best solutions to tackle the continuing difficulties it poses to operations…
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FeatureDamage control: How technology can assist vehicle inspection
With approximately 80m new cars being produced globally each year, the automotive industry has a big job to do when it comes to checking the condition of finished vehicles, something that has long relied on human labour…
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FeatureRoom for manoeuvre with Glovis at Philaport
Glovis America is now operating a new $110m vehicle terminal at the port of Philadelphia on the US east coast, providing much-needed capacity at a time when larger car-carrying vessels are loading and discharging greater volumes
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FeatureFresh floes: What does the Northern Sea Route mean for automotive logistics?
The Northern Sea Route (NSR), a growing shipping lane linking South-East Asia with Northern Europe through Arctic waters, is set to become a competitor to the Suez Channel for cargo delivery between these two regions. Russian authorities believe that the NSR would could be used for all types of cargo – and automotive product, both parts and vehicles, would be no exception.
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NewsMiddle East and North Africa: Leading the way in innovation
Despite a sustained period of decline over the last few years affected by a fall in oil prices and geopolitical strife, the Middle East and Africa is fast becoming a region of automotive and supply chain opportunity…
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FeatureGalvanising the aftermarket for an electric future
The rise in EVs in Europe will have an impact on the aftermarket and the logistics supporting it, not least in the management of replacement lithium batteries