All Ford articles – Page 3
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ArticleMeridian fire causes parts shortages in US
[UPDATED] A fire last week at the Meridian Lightweight Technologies plant in Michigan has led to parts shortages at a number of carmakers’ plants in the US.The fire, followed by a number of explosions, ripped through the northern part of the Meridian plant in Eaton Rapids, which makes instrument panel ...
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ArticleFord reorganises distribution in China
Ford has created a single finished vehicle distribution channel for its Greater China region to replace a complex joint venture and dealer network and accelerate growth.The Ford National Distribution Services Division (NDSD) will be responsible for the marketing, sales and servicing of all cars the company sells in the world’s ...
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ArticleWaking up to a new dawn
Brazilian vehicle manufacturers are increasingly optimistic that the country can claw its way out of a deep recession. The country is experiencing a period of low inflation, low interest rates, light GDP growth and a tentative recovery in employment, reflected in improving purchasing power and consumer confidence. Moreover, consumers with ...
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ArticleTrusting the market will stay afloat
European vehicle-handling ports saw growth in vehicle vehicle volumes in 2017, however geo-political worries – not least Brexit – is causing concerns. Ports continue to invest but there are worries over future volumes and capacity levels.
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ArticleTrump sanctions leave Gaz exports in doubt
The production and export operations of Gaz Group in Russia remain up in the air, after the US first imposed and then delayed sanctions against its owner Oleg Deripaska this month.Deripaska was as one of seven Russian businessmen and 12 companies targeted by the US in early April in response ...
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ArticleRussia to halt parts imports during Fifa World Cup
Russia is likely to cease importing almost all automotive components and spare parts for two months from May 25 to July 25, as the federal government seeks to impose unprecedented security measures in the country for the duration of the Fifa World Cup 2018 football tournament.The government is planning to ...
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ArticleNavigating uncharted waters
At 04.00 on June 26 last year, Jim Hagemann Snabe, chairman of AP Moller-Maersk, was woken by a phone call from his office. That’s when he learned that the global shipping giant had fallen victim to a cyber-attack. Over the next few hours, the true severity of the incident became ...
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ArticleChina to slash car import tariffs and aid foreign JVs
China’s president Xi Jinping has said the country will greatly reduce its current 25% duty on foreign-made cars as part of wider efforts to increase imports and reduce its trade surplus with other countries.“This year we will significantly lower import tariffs for vehicles and reduce import tariffs for some other ...
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ArticleFord targets independent workshops with new UK aftermarket service
Ford has announced a new aftermarket service called Parts Plus that will make it the first OEM to offer a full range of parts directly to independent repairers in the UK. The direct sales channel for trade parts is also a first for Ford globally.The company is planning to establish ...
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ArticleFord expands Struandale engine plant
Ford is adding an assembly line at its Struandale plant in South Africa to produce engines for the Ford Ranger Raptor. The mid-size pick-up will go into production next year at the carmaker’s Silverton assembly plant in Pretoria, as well as at its plant in Rayong, Thailand, both of which ...
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ArticleFord partners with fashion chain Next on UK car sales
Ford’s UK operation has signed a partnership with fashion retailer Next to increase the range of sales outlets for its vehicles.The carmaker will open a five-car showroom at a refurbished Next store in the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester. Test drives will be available and new cars can be handed ...
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ArticleTrump’s tariffs draw further fire
Further criticism has been voiced over President Donald Trump’s plans to impose import tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium from other countries, except Nafta partners Canada and Mexico.Following widespread condemnation of the plans last week – which saw concerns raised by groups such as the Motor & ...
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ArticleAMIA calls for government help with blockades
The Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA) has called for the government to intervene after a series of blockades that has left vehicle manufacturers in the country struggling for supplies and halted the movement of some finished vehicles.The blockades, which started in late January, have been carried out by ...
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ArticleFord invests to meet surging demand for SUVs
Ford has invested a further $25m to increase line speed at its plant in Louisville, Kentucky to meet a 25% increase in output of the Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition SUV models as retail sales surge in the US.Its investment there includes 400 new robots and a data analytics hub ...
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ArticleMexico conference: Uncertainty well-balanced with optimism
While a degree of uncertainty over the future of free trade between Mexico and its Nafta neighbours to the north once again hung over discussions at this year’s Automotive Logistics Mexico conference, it was more than matched by confidence in the future of the automotive sector. That confidence is being ...
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ArticleLogistics IT: Is there an app for that?
At US finished vehicle logistics specialist Jack Cooper Logistics, recounts president Andrea Amico, as part of a contract for carrying out the collection and inspection of ex-fleet vehicles on behalf of a US carmaker, the need to supply seven images of each inspected vehicle was suddenly upped to a requirement ...
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ArticleNafta renegotiation ‘will not hold back investment in Mexico’
Following a 30% tax imposed by the Trump Administration on solar panels imported to the US last week and another 20% tax put on imported washing machines, vehicle and parts makers are wondering if the automotive industry is next on the list for high tariffs, as Nafta is renegotiated – ...
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ArticleFord begins importing EcoSport into UK from Romania
Imports of the Ford EcoSport compact SUV into the UK from Romania are now fully underway via the port of Constanta, the carmaker has confirmed.Ford began production of the the EcoSport at its plant in Romania in October last year and said the shift to Europe from production at its ...
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ArticleEmergency response: Weathering the storms
A volatile 2017 hurricane season saw successive storms hit the US south-east and the Caribbean, counting at least 500,000 vehicles in the US alone among its many damages and leading to emergency planning once again gaining a greater level of prominence within the finished vehicle supply chain. While matching the ...
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ArticleDisaster recovery: Prepared for the worst?
As the scale of the destruction wrought by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that devastated Japan’s north-eastern coastline in March 2011 became apparent, managers within BMW’s purchasing function were asked if it would affect the company. Their answer? No – because BMW had no suppliers in Japan.But that wasn’t quite ...