Features – Page 25
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Service parts distribution: Less distance, more speed
Aftersales service is critical to a car buyer’s satisfaction and brand perception. We find out how OEMs are dealing with the growing pressures on North American parts distribution networksIdentifying efficiencies in service parts distribution is a key issue for OEMs – servicing retail outlets is the primary goal of any ...
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Ten years in India part 2: MM Singh from Maruti Suzuki
Continuing our celebrations ahead of the 10th Automotive Logistics India conference on November 8th-10th, we look back at our past decade of exclusive interviews and coverage of the Indian automotive supply chain. After reviewing Tata Motors from ten years ago in part 1, Today, we’re going back in time ...
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European vehicle logistics could get left behind in the digital dust
Experts at this year’s ECG Conference in Hamburg pointed to the risks and rewards for outbound logistics of the automotive industry’s shift towards digital technology and e-commerce[sta_anchor id="1"]Despite its recent run of economic recovery and relatively strong growth, the European finished vehicle logistics industry could become a victim of technological ...
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Damage limitation: Reducing damage drawn by design
Trends in vehicle evolution can add to the likelihood of damage in transit. While this can be partly mitigated by routing and planning, the vehicle logistics industry can struggle to adapt fast enough... A substantial increase in popular vehicle sizes in recent years has fuelled some of the logistics issues ...
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BMW outlines new plans to transform logistics efficiency
Oliver Zipse, the carmaker's board member for production, reveals how it intends to sharply increase the level of automation involved in its production and logistics activities BMW is already testing out self-driving robots and sees great potential to extend their useBMW Group’s top executive for production has outlined plans to ...
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Ten years in India: a look back at Tata Motors
This November 8-10th in Gurgaon will see the 10th Automotive Logistics India conference. To celebrate our first decade in this critically important market ahead of the conference, we’ll be looking back regularly at our coverage of the subcontinent over this time, with links back to features and analysis from ...
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Industry 4.0: Chipping away at the future
Automotive Logistics reports on the Fraunhofer Institute’s research into autonomous warehouse decision-making and how it is working to deliver practical advantages from Industry 4.0 conceptsIn this story... 4.0 reasons to look ahead Letting the devices decide Intelligent bins Safe space for dataGermany’s Fraunhofer organisation isn’t easily explained. Founded in 1949 ...
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UK summit report: Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst
Given the UK’s vote to leave the European Union in June this year, discussions of ‘Brexit’ were bound to recur at the inaugural Automotive Logistics UK summit, which took place last week at Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands, just outside LondonCarmakers need to recoup the costs incurred by the recent fall ...
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Indian export logistics: Waiting for an upgrade
In this story... Shipping routes Coastal issues Road reliance Multimodal shift Growing outputIndia’s vehicle exports are gradually on the rise, with plenty of room to grow. However, the nation’s poor export logistics and high port costs may hold the country backIndia’s big problem is a straightforward one: it does ...
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Kia West Point: Midnight freight trains to Georgia
In this story... The need for precision A multi-party approach Paving the way A model for automotive Keeping a distanceThe use of an inland port in Cordele is helping carmaker Kia to achieve the reliable, transparent supply chain it requires at its 24-hour production operation in West Point, Georgia ...
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Alternative logistics in Africa: The sky's the limit
Africa’s underdeveloped infrastructure and dangerous conditions are leading it to leapfrog other countries in adopting alternative freight technologies which might one day serve automotive logisticsAfrica’s infrastructure gap, which significantly hinders the movement of goods between and within countries on the continent, could soon be substantially filled through the use of ...
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Rail transport in Russia: Tracking the downturn
Rail transport of finished vehicles in Russia is dropping fast under the combined pressure of rising charges, falling state subsidies and dwindling demand for new vehiclesRail transport of finished vehicles in Russia is falling fast – faster even than a new vehicle market that has virtually collapsed over the past ...
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Yard management: Tricks of the terminal trade
Balancing the demands of high volumes and diverse products with the need for efficiency and security calls for investment and flexibility in both staffing and ITThe growth in the US and UK vehicle industries over the last few years means more cars are being moved in and out of the ...
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JLR part 2: The big cat is hunting for outbound efficiencies
Jaguar Land Rover has taken a lead in using in-vehicle technology and connectivity to improve outbound visibility, part of a recent programme of change and investment across the carmaker’s logistics[sta_anchor id="1"]Jaguar and Land Rover cars and SUVs are, by mandate of their brands, powerful and highly engineered creatures. Today, that ...
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JLR part 1: Ensuring logistics is not a victim of success
With so much expansion, change and inevitable risk still ahead of the carmaker, JLR’s director of global material planning and logistics, David Dyke, is pushing his department’s influence across the company and the supply chain to gain efficiency and further strength
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Brexit and shipping: Playing a game of wait and sea
A country’s ports and the shipping lines that serve them are at the front line of fluctuations in international trade. So is the UK sector bracing itself for a Brexit-induced storm? The past two years have been busy ones for any company involved in the import or export of vehicles ...
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BMW and Greer: A port far from any storms
No ocean-going vessel ever docks there but an inland port at Greer, South Carolina, has proved a perfect solution for BMW’s import and export parts shipping needsIn this story... Seeking new options A custom designed platform Expanding the scope of service Storing for successPerhaps the truest measure of efficiency and ...
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Global conference: Keeping up with technology’s potential and risks
The Automotive Logistics Global conference offered examples of technological change, advantages and dangers. The question is whether manufacturers and logistics providers are investing enough attention and capital in keeping up with them.Rapid advances in digital technology are driving changes in the logistics processes that support the global automotive industry, from ...
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Global conference: Know your supply chain better
Manufacturers and logistics providers at the Automotive Logistics Global conference are doing more to integrate their supply chains from end to end, and are keen to use data and analytics to anticipate problems before they arise.
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Opel/Vauxhall: Stable & ready to launch
Following a period of transformation and improvements in production planning, Opel is on a product offensive. Director of logistics Andreas Graffe and outbound logistics manager Michael Gorny discuss the importance of ‘frontloading’ logistics to support it. In this story... Supporting change A stable supply chain Hitting the right slot Investing ...