All north america articles – Page 43
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Mazda begins production in Mexico
Japanese carmaker Mazda has started production at its new plant in Mexico. Organised under a division set up in 2011 called Mazda de Mexico Vehicle Operation (MMVO), the first vehicle off the line at the plant in Salamanca was a Mazda3 sedan destined for the US market. The division is ...
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Wanxiang Group makes surprise bid for bankrupt Fisker
China’s largest automotive parts company, the Wanxiang Group Corporation, made an unexpected last-minute bid for bankrupt carmaker Fisker Automotive at the beginning of January. The company said its initial bid would be worth $24.7m adding that it had agreed to shoulder some of Fisker’s liabilities. Hangzhou-based Wanxiang said that if ...
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Mercedes begins production at completed Alabama warehouse
Mercedes-Benz has begun operations at its new logistics centre in Vance, Alabama, having first broken ground six months ago. The $70m centre first went online at the end of December prior to the company’s holiday shutdown and was reopened at the beginning of January.It covers almost 84,000 square metres and ...
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LSPs ally with AIAG to enhance FVL operations
Logistics providers Union Pacific Railroad and Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics have become members of the Automotive Industry Action Group in an effort to boost the latter’s finished vehicle activities. The project will focus primarily on information technology, particularly with application to electronic proof of delivery (epod) and damage repairs. The AIAG, ...
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Ford appoints McKelvey director of parts supply and logistics
Ford has appointed Steve McKelvey as its new director of parts supply and logistics at the group’s headquarters in Cologne. Raymond Damerow, who formerly held the position, has moved over to a sales position in Europe. Educated at Michigan State University, McKelvey has been active in the role since September, ...
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Lessons in the supply chain: Wayne State and AIAG partnership
Wayne State University in Michigan has set up a non-degree certificate programme in partnership with the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG). The course is designed to provide students with an understanding of current supply chain topics, with a specific focus on the automotive industry.Participants will cover a wide range of ...
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AIAG to launch tracking database for automotive
With support from GM, Chrysler and Toyota, North America’s Automotive Industry Action Group is creating the first ever communal web-based industry database for identifying the movement of vehicles, parts and materials through the supply chain.The first generation of the AIAG platform, called Supply Safe-Supplier Security Assessment, is planned for launch ...
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United Road buys Waggoners’ auto transport division
North American vehicle carrier and logistics provider United Road Services has bought the auto transport division of rival firm Waggoners Trucking, making it the continent's second largest car haulier behind Jack Cooper Transport. The deal was carried out by United Road and its private equity owners, Charlesbank Capital Parnters, for ...
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Editor's note: supply chain design and development
"I love the expression: supply chain design,” a prominent logistics executive in China told me recently. This enthusiasm reflects a trend in the country’s latest wave of factory expansion. Rising production costs and historically inefficient logistics have prompted carmakers to pay closer attention to the shape of supply chains when ...
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Global ro-ro report: Moving with the trade winds
The ro-ro industry has mostly balanced capacity to market demand, but there are regional variations, while changing trades and larger vessels will cause waves at sea. Additional reporting by Christopher LudwigThe global ro-ro shipping industry is one of the most complex – not to mention capital intensive – parts of ...
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Maruti Suzuki on raising the Indian supply chain
Competition can do wonders for a business. When rivals outdo a company, it is often forced to explore possibilities that were previously unknown to it. This is something Sudam Maitra, former senior managing executive officer for supply chain at Maruti Suzuki, realised early in a purchasing career that has spanned three decades
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Spanish production and exports on the rise
In October Spain's 17 car factories produced almost 211,000 vehicles, including passenger cars and commercial vehicles, an increase of 17% compared to October 2012, according to figures released by the Spanish association of car and truck manufacturers (ANFAC). In the first ten months, total production rose 9.32% to 1.83m units.ANFAC ...
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Vandalism behind BNSF derailment
A BNSF Freight train carrying finished vehicles was derailed north of Tulsa, Oklahoma, last Friday (December 13th) in an incident that is being investigated as an act of vandalism.The train was on route from Tulsa to San Bernardino, California and was hauling vehicles when its rail wagons were decoupled and ...
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APL expands in southern US
APL Logistics has announced the opening of its first customs brokerage office, the latest in the company’s efforts to expand its US network. The centre will operate through its recently-acquired subsidiary Carmichael International Service, with which it formed an alliance in 2012. APL aims to ease business operations for customers ...
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DHL to develop Chicago container facility
DHL Global Forwarding has announced an investment of $35m for a warehouse space in Chicago, Illinois. Around 40,000 square metres is available for container-loading and package preparation, ready to forward on to a variety of industry suppliers likely to include automotive. The facility will be strategically located at the Chicago ...
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Supply chain promises deferred, but not yet broken in India
This year’s Automotive Logistics India conference came at the end of a tough year for the domestic automotive market. But the downturn has not prevented manufacturers from striving and investing to improve speed and flexibility in their supply chains.Report by Christopher Ludwig and Zoë Apostolides in PuneIt was not supposed ...
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Lorenz takes over MD role at Jungheinrich UK
Warehouse equipment provider Jungheinrich UK has announced the appointment of Jan Lorenz as its new managing director. He replaces Hans-Herbert Schultz and takes up the new role on January 1, 2014.Schultz, who has been in the role for seven years, has taken over responsibility for sales in North-West Europe and ...
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Carl Ice to take over as CEO of BNSF
Carl Ice, currently president and chief operating officer at North American rail provider BNSF Railway, is taking over as CEO at the start of the new year. He replaces Matthew Rose who is moving to the role of executive chairman."BNSF is a great organisation with great people that provides important ...
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WTO agrees on customs plan but concerns over currency remain
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has unanimously approved a trade facilitation agreement designed to establish common customs standards and ease the flow of goods through borders around the world. It is estimated that it could lower the cost of carrying out trade by as much as 10-15%, according to the ...
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Toyota to export US-made Highlanders to the Antipodes and Russia
Toyota has started production of its 2014 model year Highlander SUV at the Princeton plant in Indiana, US and will be exporting models made there to Australia, New Zealand and Russia next year.Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (TMMI) started production of the model on December 5, following a $430m expansion at ...