Features – Page 26
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ArticleBrexit: Who’s in the driving seat... and where are we going?
With the dust far from settled after a shock UK referendum result in favour of leaving the European Union, we assess the country’s future trade possibilities and their implications for the automotive logistics industryIn this story... Shock to the system Gauntlet to government Cuts on the cards? Future trade scenarios ...
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ArticleIndian carriers fight penalties and OEM indifference
Vipul Nanda, president of India's Car Carriers AssociationJust when you thought the question of car transporter lengths in India was sorted out, it may be time to think again.Following its draft legislation providing for a maximum length for finished vehicle carriers of 18.75 metres earlier this year, India’s Ministry ...
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ArticleBox of delights
A box is a box is a box, right? Well no, actually. Returnable container manufacturer Schoeller Allibert reveals that there is far more to returnable containers than four walls and a lid, if the sector is to keep up with its customers’ needsThere isn’t an automotive company in the world ...
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ArticleFreight audit & pay systems: Making payment less painful
Freight audit and pay systems can provide great control over auditing and paying for logistics-related services Got a proper handle on what's going on in your supply chain? FA&P systems could help...Freight audit and pay (FA&P) systems are often used by manufacturers and logistics integrators to process, audit, verify and ...
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ArticleFVL Import Export summit: Making sure bigger is also better in ports
The third Finished Vehicle Logistics Import Export summit revealed the need among vehicle-handling ports for more investment in space, berths and inland transport, at the same time that OEMs and logistics partners need to work together to improve the uneven flow of vehicles that 'vessel bunching' and larger ships are ...
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ArticleTruck platooning: a future benefit for automotive logistics
A recent test of truck platooning has successfully demonstrated the technology’s considerable potential for commercial vehicle fleets... In the first half of 2016, the Netherlands held the presidency of the council of the European Union and during this time, Melanie Schultz van Haegen, minister of infrastructure and environment (which transport ...
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ArticleVolvo Trucks: High, heavy and smart
[sta_anchor id="1"]Volvo Trucks North America is improving its complex delivery network across the US, including investments in new technology and in supporting its carriersReflecting continued strength in the US economy as well as sustained low oil prices, last year saw strong growth for sales of medium-and-heavy trucks in the US. ...
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Article2015 North American port survey: Ports get an extra lift from a rise in imports
[sta_anchor id="1"]Our annual survey found most ports are seeing strong imports across North America, leading (in some cases) to parking constraints and vessel bunching. The future may look different, but operators and OEMs need to get smart about spaceOur survey of North American ports for 2015 confirmed partly what we ...
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ArticleSouth Africa: Flagging but still fighting
[sta_anchor id="1"]South Africa’s economy is battling problems, but its vehicle exports and role in global vehicle programmes mean it continues to attract investmentSouth Africa’s economy is in the doldrums. A rout in commodity prices has damaged consumer spending power. The country is skirting perilously close to having its debt rating ...
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ArticleDeliveries are feeling the crunch
If you can’t get your product to market, every other competitive advantage is lost – a problem Europe’s OEMs could face as transport capacity tightens for moving finished vehiclesNew vehicle registrations across Europe have been rising, including double-digit sales increases in recent months across the EU. ACEA, the European carmaker’s ...
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ArticleChina: Cutting costs and creating efficiency
The evolution of inbound and outbound networks is reflecting Chinese economic slowdown and reforms, as well as opportunities for stronger, more advanced automotive logistics services[sta_anchor id="1"]China’s passenger car market has been in a period of hyper-growth, rising more than fourfold over the past decade. However, with sales slowing to single ...
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ArticleTesla’s supply chain set for a surge
Tesla has captured the car industry’s collective imagination in many ways since its start-up in 2008, including how it builds and sells its electric vehicles.Besides the novelty of the products themselves, the intrigue is partly down to co-founder Elon Musk, one of the great entrepreneurs of this generation, seen in ...
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ArticleBMW: Flexing up for the fourth revolution
BMW’s partnership with Fraunhofer has produced innovations in materials handling to support its global parts exports, but these are only a first step towards wider digitalisation and automation in logisticsThere’s nothing wrong with asking for a little help every now and then, especially when it comes to developing and testing ...
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ArticleBrazil: Life in the narrow margins
[sta_anchor id="1"]OEMs and their LSPs are grappling with collapsing sales in Brazil even as new plants come online. As a result, they are looking for new ways to slash costs and boost exportsBrazil’s economy is facing crippling political and economic challenges, with the general outlook poor and vehicle sales crumbling. ...
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ArticleInventory inversed
Changes in technology, economics and attitudes are driving a resurgence of interest in vendor managed inventory programmes among automotive manufacturersProduction lines need availability, not inventory. Manufacturers’ primary concern is that each individual part is a good one and that it is ready by the line when the assembly robot or ...
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ArticleJLR gets real about recycled aluminium loops
Jaguar Land Rover is taking steps to increase the amount of recycled aluminium it uses. Automotive Logistics finds out more… JLR's target is to use 75% recycled aluminium in its body structures by 2020Recycled material is playing a growing role in Jaguar Land Rover’s use of aluminium in its ...
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ArticleRussia: Too little, too late?
[sta_anchor id="1"]Russia’s softening of localisation requirements for carmakers is a welcome step forward but it may not help the country’s flagging automotive sector as much the government would likeUntil recently, the Russian government was standing firm on the localisation requirements it had agreed with carmakers, even as the market virtually ...
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ArticleIs the digital future now history?
[sta_anchor id="1"]Electronic consignment notes were given the green light by the EU in 2011 but their implementation across European countries remains patchy. Has their time finally come… or gone? So far, only eight EU member states and Switzerland have ratified the so-called e-CMR protocol – the digital addition to the ...
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ArticlePackaging: Thinking smarter outside the box
[sta_anchor id="1"]Tracking technology is playing an ever greater role in the effectiveness of returnable packaging, but still has some way to go before it becomes ubiquitousTracking returnable containers, racks and pallets has come a long way during the past few years, and while barcoding is still the dominant technology, radio ...
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ArticleC4 Logistics wins Europe-wide contract with Cooper Standard
Time critical logistics provider C4 Logistics has signed a contract with automotive parts supplier Cooper Standard for expedited services across Europe. Operations began at the beginning of this month and cover Cooper Standard’s 22 factories in Europe, which include sites in Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, Poland, France, Serbia ...