News – Page 363
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FeatureCar carriers welcome Greek tariff freeze
The Port of Piraeus is keeping its car terminal tariffs frozen for the remainder of 2009 and providing a range of incentives including the provision of 50% more free storage time for vehicles. Following consultations between the Piraeus Port Authority and the collective representative body of Greek shipping agents – ...
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FeatureMazda makes it a first in Azerbaijan
Mazda vehicles are now on sale in Azerbaijan for the first time thanks to a new five-year contract between the Japanese carmaker and local distributor Rotary Motors. The move is part of Central Asian distribution strategy that is being managed by Mazda Motor Europe (MME) and uses Rotary’s experience in ...
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FeatureSCM a competitive advantage in future says ZF
In a future industry where automotive components developed and built in China are just as highly engineered and innovative as those built in Europe, logistics and supply chain management could become one of the most important distinguishing advantages for a company to increase its sales, according to John Sobeck, Corporate ...
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FeatureWWL offers reliable new service to South America
Recognising an ‘underserved’ market from South America’s West Coast to the US and wider global markets, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics has established a new monthly service calling at Ecuador and Peru. Calling at the ports of Guayaquil (Ecuador) and Callao (Peru), the service will ship automotive traffic, as well as high ...
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FeatureKey executives on the move
Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President, Chrysler (pictured) has left the company following its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. When the Chapter 11 protection measures were announced last Thursday LaSorda said he planned to retire, but a date wasn't set. The next day Chrysler announced that his retirement would be ...
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FeatureTNT strengthens presence in Brazil
Netherlands-based logistics giant TNT has taken 100% control of South American provider Expresso Araçatuba Transportes e Logistica SA for €54m. The company, which has been a partner of TNT Mercúrio in Brazil since 2001, offers express transport from the South and South East of Brazil to the North and Central ...
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FeatureThird time a charm for GM?
GM’s third attempt at a restructuring plan in which it will swap bondholder debt for equity in an attempt to avoid bankruptcy on June 1 is looking as unlikely as its previous attempts, according to leading industry analysts. And even if it does succeed the prospects for its logistics providers ...
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FeatureUK budget is too little too late for logistics
Last week’s budget announcement in the UK has been received with mixed feelings by the automotive industry, with enthusiasm for the scrappage scheme tempered by criticism from the logistics sector of both that and the fuel duty increases proposed for September. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) said that the decision ...
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LSPs look long term at Zeebrugge
Despite a Q1 downturn in car handling activity at the Port of Zeebrugge of 46.2%, two logistics service providers have made significant investments for long-term growth at the world’s biggest automotive port.Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) has opened a 7,600m² vehicle processing centre (VPC) at Belgian port, which will offer a ...
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FeatureUniCar keeps an eye on quality for SEAT
Automotive surveying specialist UniCar Group has secured a contract with Seat for quality inspection at its Matorell plant near Barcelona, Spain. It will also carry out audit work across the carmaker’s wider European network. “The scope of work is to perform car inspection audits at Martorell factory on behalf ...
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FeatureAwards recognise exceptional women in logistics
The finalists have been announced for this year’s MAN everywoman in Transport and Logistics Awards, with the winner to be announced on May 14 at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London, UK. Sponsored by MAN Truck & Bus UK, in association with Skills for Logistics, the awards aim to highlight ...
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FeatureNissan streamlines logistics under new committees
Nissan is consolidating its operations across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, and aligning its supply chain management and logistics functions across the region more closely with manufacturing and purchasing. Administration of the new alignment will now be managed by a streamlined team of executives across three committees who ...
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FeatureCHEP expands business in Turkey
Pallet and container provider CHEP is expanding its activity in Turkey to support the growth in automotive supply for OEM and tier suppliers from there to markets throughout Europe. “Turkey is becoming an increasingly important player in the automotive industry,” said Rainer Sandow, Vice President, Automotive Europe, CHEP. “We ...
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FeatureSouth Africa is Cruze destination for GM
GM delivered the first shipment of its new mid-size Chevrolet sedan, the Cruze, to its South African operation at the Port of Port Elizabeth last week for final testing and validation. The Cruze, which will be launched in the country later this year, is manufactured at the Daewoo plant ...
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FeatureNew NAPA ro-ro service answers strong demand
Norwegian ro-ro provider Partner Shipping has established a new North America Pacific Asia (NAPA) service with Australia’s Praxis Logistics to answer “strong market demand” in the region. It will focus on automotive and high and heavy imports to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. The new ‘triangle’ service will also target ...
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FeatureLSPs chase the Chinese dream
This week’s Automotive Logistics China conference in Shanghai left little doubt that China is the true land of opportunity for the automotive industry and its suppliers during the global recession. Carmakers and tier ones such as FAW Group, Dongfeng, Geely and Magna called for expanded logistics services including milkruns and ...
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FeatureAnalysis: Chinese policy on downturn – crosshair or blindspot?
The Chinese government certainly acted quickly and successfully to reverse the first downward sales trend for new car sales it experienced during the second half of 2008. Today, thanks largely to a hefty cut in sales tax on cars with a 1.6-litre engine or less, sales are up in the ...
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Feature“We need to agree to speak the same language”
At this year's China conference in Shanghai delegates called for better and more consistent standards to stabilise the industry. “The price of logistics service has declined, and the economics of small and medium sized LSPs have been hurt severely. Some companies have been experiencing an extreme loss.”Wei Yong, Economic Operation ...
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FeatureSupply chain scheme could limit risk
The withdrawal of credit insurance for automotive parts suppliers in the UK has led to warnings of a domino effect of bankruptcies across the sector, which could impact on logistics service providers. But a new state guarantee scheme due to be announced in next week’s Budget could provide help by ...
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FeatureToyota awards logistics partners for performance
Toyota has announced its logistics US partners awards for performance in 2008 with NYK Line taking four of 17 plaudits. The 2009 Toyota Logistics Partner’s Dinner Awards also recognised rail operator Norfolk Southern Corporation with three honours out of four for rail activity. In the President’s Award category NYK Line ...