In Depth – Page 46
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FeatureJack Cooper: The wheels of revolution
At the FVL North America conference, you said we were experiencing a technological revolution rather than an evolution. What do you think are the biggest changes happening now?I think we’ve got to look at it in our business from both sides: what’s happening in the actual vehicles and with the ...
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FeatureVolvo Cars: Leaning towards greater stability
Since Geely Holdings acquired it from Ford Motor Company in 2010, Volvo Cars has been reinventing itself, from product development through to its industrial base and supply chain. Today, with a refreshed model line-up and amidst several new launches, sales have grown to record levels, with further expansion still to ...
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FeatureNavigating an uncertain future
The finished vehicle logistics sector needs to find better ways to communicate and collaborate to meet the challenges of an uncertain future, delegates at this year’s finished vehicle logistics north america conference in California were told in March. Marcus Williams reports The finished vehicle logistics industry may be facing a ...
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FeatureVW reveals details of new packaging centre
Further details have been revealed this week about Volkswagen Group's plans for a packaging centre at Jade-Weser-Port in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, which is due to open in 2019.The centre will package up to 7,000 different part lines for Audi, Volkswagen and VW Commercial Vehicles and more than 12,000 containers a year ...
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FeatureVollmer takes production and logistics role at Seat
From July 1st, Christian Vollmer will be the OEM’s new vice-president for production and logistics, leading the management of its three factories at Martorell, El Prat de Llobregat and Barcelona in Spain. He will also promote strategies relating to environmental sustainability and the challenges of future mobility, as part of ...
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FeatureSchick to lead Schaeffler's production, logistics and purchasing from next month
Andreas Schick is to become chief operating officer (COO) at the supplier of components and systems for engines, transmissions and chassis. From April 1st, Schick will replace Oliver Jung, who has decided to leave the company after ten years.“With the appointment of Andreas Schick we have again promoted an internal ...
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FeatureFord 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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FeatureChanje charges to an electrifying lead
Commercial electric vehicle start-up Chanje has stolen a march on some of the more established players in the US, revealing the V8070 all-electric panel van, which can carry a payload of 6,000lbs (2.72 tonnes), several months before Tesla unveiled its much-anticipated electric truck.Chanje is led by Bryan Hansel, founder of ...
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FeatureWhat3words: Innovative addressing solution
‘Innovative addressing solution’ aptly summarises the product the founders of a start-up came up with over three years ago. It also happens to be the co-ordinates of an exact 3m x 3m location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The original concept that would become What3words was born when ...
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FeatureChina car transporters: Axle position looks set to move centre stage
The era of the overloaded car transporter in China – the ‘aircraft carriers’, as some have referred to them – is entering its final stages this year. After more than a decade of growing lengths and dangerous loads, the country’s highways are set to see improvements in safety and standards, ...
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FeatureMexico 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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FeatureOutbound TMS: The search for a system that can't be beat
In recent years, growing computer power, advanced software and algorithms for logistics planning have led to a rise in the use of the transport management system (TMS), which enables companies, among other things, to receive, plan, monitor and report on collections and deliveries. Some manufacturers and logistics providers have implemented ...
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FeatureLogistics 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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FeatureAutomation: Paving the way for progress
Ask automotive manufacturers what their primary concerns are today within warehouses and factories and they will probably allude to one of three key things – productivity, safety and waste. Although various solutions are available to help alleviate problems in these areas, one of the most important is materials handling technology. ...
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FeatureJoanne Perry takes over as editor of Automotive Logistics
Joanne Perry (pictured) has taken over from Christopher Ludwig as the editor of the Automotive Logistics group, becoming responsible for the print and digital content of Automotive Logistics and Finished Vehicle Logistics.The move follows Ludwig’s appointment as content director at parent company, Ultima Media, which organises the Automotive Logistics group's ...
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FeatureEmergency 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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FeatureDisaster 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 ...
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FeatureRising inventory: Stock lots
In any retail business, inventory management is a delicate balancing act. Hold too little and frustrated customers will be forced to shop elsewhere; but piling stock on your shelves puts a strain on working capital and if what you bought isn’t what customers want, you have little choice but to ...
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FeatureBrian Mason takes on business development role at PAS
Brian Mason (pictured) has become vice-president of business development and administration at Pasha Automotive Services (PAS), which provides vehicle logistics services throughout North America and is part of the Pasha Group.Mason, who was previously vice-president of planning, analysis and development, will be primarily focused on servicing existing business and building ...
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FeatureRoad transport in Mexico: no time for reflection
About three years ago, trucking capacity for the movement of finished vehicles in Mexico was a big concern. Trucks are used for the delivery of all finished vehicles for the domestic market there, as well as supporting rail in moving vehicles to and from ports, and there were simply not ...