All production articles

  • HalewoodJLR
    Feature

    Exports prop up UK car production despite trade uncertainty

    2018-08-01T15:17:31Z

    The number of cars made in the UK fell by 5.5% to 128,799 last month, with domestic demand plummeting by 47.2% to 15,647, according to figures from the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). However, production was bolstered by a 6% rise in exports to 113,152 units, with almost ...

  • puerto_de_santander
    Feature

    Anfac study downgrades port logistics in Spain

    2018-08-01T11:07:18Z

    The Spanish automotive manufacturers’ association, Anfac, has just released its annual Maritime Port Logistics Grading study, which identifies Santander (pictured), Sagunto and Pasajes ports as currently the best for vehicle processing in Spain.One of the significant conclusions of the report, however, is that the overall grading for port logistics declined ...

  • FordCraiova2nd
    Feature

    Ford to make second model in Craiova

    2018-05-29T17:38:09Z

    Ford is investing up to €200m ($235m) to manufacture a second vehicle at its Craiova assembly plant in Romania, saying the planned expenditure is a sign of the company’s trust in government promises to deliver key upgrades infrastructure and logistics improvements.“Ford has discussed with the government the key infrastructure projects ...

  • PSAMEDIA USINE_0
    Feature

    PSA to move engine production closer to assembly plants

    2018-03-27T17:45:42Z

    French carmaker PSA Group is to reorganise operations across Europe to boost regional competitiveness by improving the performance of its powertrain plants. Some production will be transferred from Asia in line with company plans to make components as close as possible to its car plants, thus cutting supply times and ...

  • Screen Shot 2017-10-11 at 14_opt
    Feature

    Tesla delays truck launch to focus on fixing Model 3 bottlenecks

    2017-10-11T15:00:41Z

    Tesla has delayed the unveiling event for its electric truck by about three weeks as management diverts resources to address bottlenecks in the manufacturing of its Model 3 vehicle, as well as to increase battery production for storm hit Puerto Rico.This is according to a Tweet last Friday, by the ...

  • AU130476_full_opt
    Feature

    Kössler heads Audi production and logistics in executive shakeup

    2017-08-29T17:19:56Z

    Peter Kössler (pictured) will be the new board of management member for production and logistics at Audi after a major reshuffling was announced at the German carmaker.He will replace Hubert Waltl, who held the position from April 2014.The appointment is part of a host of management board changes as the ...

  • PWC
    Feature

    Europe conference: Two-thirds of UK car manufacturing ‘could move to EU within a year’

    2017-06-07T15:32:24Z

    Up to two-thirds of the UK's automotive manufacturing base could theoretically be relocated to the EU within a year after the country leaves the trading bloc, global lead analyst at Autofacts PwC, Christoph Stürmer, has warned.Speaking on the first day of the Automotive Logistics Europe conference in Bonn today (Wednesday ...

  • JLR-Brazil_opt
    Feature

    DHL Supply Chain to handle in-plant logistics for JLR in Brazil

    2017-04-19T23:26:17Z

    DHL Supply Chain has been awarded the contract to manage in-plant logistics at Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR’s) new manufacturing plant in Itatiaia, Brazil (pictured).JLR opened its 750m reais ($215m) manufacturing facility last June. It is the first wholly-owned manufacturing plant the carmaker has set up outside of the UK (its ...

  • Unterzeichnung
    Feature

    Borgward edges closer to Bremen return with assembly site deal

    2017-04-18T18:58:25Z

    Andreas Heyer (left), chairman of Bremen Invest, and Ulrich Walker, CEO of Borgward GroupGerman car brand Borgward and Bremen Invest have signed a deal over the purchase of a future assembly site in the German city.The memorandum of understanding covers a 140,000 sq.m piece of land in the Cargo ...

  • The_Volvo_Cars_manufacturing_plant_in_Chengdu
    Feature

    In-house competence propels Volvo and Continental’s logistics

    2017-04-18T18:55:12Z

    The inbound supply chain in China continues to develop at a fast pace, and getting to grips with the complexity around supply locations, regulations and production shifts is a significant task. For some manufacturers, including Volvo Cars and tier one supplier Continental, increasing in-house management resources and tools have been ...

  • hondaturkey-e1492092498767
    Feature

    Turkey’s auto sector grows in the midst of political turmoil

    2017-04-13T18:45:14Z

    Representatives of Turkey’s automotive industry and the government’s investment support agency met in London, UK, last month to discuss the challenges the country faces in getting back on track toward production and export growth, following a politically turbulent two years. Despite the disruption, it seems the Turkish automotive sector is ...

  • Audi-Q8 (1)
    Feature

    Hungary and Slovakia to produce Audi’s new Q models

    2017-04-11T17:36:24Z

    Audi has launched two new cars in its Q range of utility vehicles which it will build at its facilities in Hungary and Slovakia.The Q4, a compact utility vehicle, will be built at the company’s Győr facility in Hungary from 2019. Last year, the carmaker indicated production of the existing ...

  • 2017_TMMK_Engine_Line_01_93F80710ADFBBAFA89104265120D4DCBEF53D7C5_opt
    Feature

    Toyota invests record amount to ready Kentucky plant for new architecture

    2017-04-10T17:25:29Z

    Carmaker Toyota has announced plans to invest $1.33 billion at its largest plant, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) in the US, as it prepares for a New Global Architecture (TNGA) production platform.By 2020, the majority of the company’s global models will be built using the platform and upgrades are planned ...

  • St-Petersburg-293178
    Feature

    Groupe PSA to consider restarting Opel assembly in Russia

    2017-04-06T17:04:53Z

    Groupe PSA CEO Carlos Tavares has suggested the firm’s acquisition of GM’s European division could bring about a return of the Opel brand to the Russian market.The French carmaker announced the $2.3 billion deal to acquire GM’s European division, which includes Opel and Vauxhall, last month.GM pulled assembly out of ...

  • Feature

    Sharp decline in South African car exports to rest of Africa

    2017-04-05T23:05:59Z

    Exports from South Africa to the rest of Africa continued their downward trend in 2016, almost halving in number, according to the latest quarterly update from the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa).Back in 2014, other African countries were together the second largest export destination behind Europe ...

  • Cat_med_Excavator
    Feature

    Caterpillar plant closures prompt global changes in supply pattern

    2017-04-05T23:00:07Z

    Construction and mining equipment maker Caterpillar is closing plants in the US and Europe with a combined loss of around 2,800 jobs, in reaction to a drop in demand in the construction, mining and energy industries.Products made at the plants, in Aurora, Illinois and Gosselies, Belgium, will be shifted to ...

  • Ford_opt
    Feature

    Ontario secures its place in Ford’s connected-car future

    2017-04-05T16:49:00Z

    Ford has announced a C$500m ($373m) research and development (R&D) investment in Canada’s Ontario territory, including the development of a research and engineering centre in the capital of Ottawa.Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (pictured here on the right), were both present at the official event announcing ...

  • Megatruck
    Feature

    Seat: A megatruckload of progress

    2017-03-30T21:32:54Z

    Seat’s supply chain leaders open up about rail infrastructure, the carmaker’s use of automation and its service parts networkIn this story... Seat's European network Multimodal and connected Aftersales in motionSeat has been emblematic of Spain’s automotive ups and downs over the past decade. It suffered badly during the country’s severe ...

  • Honda
    Feature

    Honda invests a further $85m in Alabama assembly plant

    2017-03-29T21:02:22Z

    Honda has announced plans to invest $85m in its Lincoln plant in Alabama, including an expansion at the south end of Line 1 of the vehicle assembly operation there.The company said the investment was the first part of a multi-phase project to “improve vehicle manufacturing flexibility, strengthen the logistics efficiency ...

  • Russia assembly
    Feature

    Russia considers changes in policy to boost vehicle exports

    2017-03-20T16:12:43Z

    Russia’s government is considering amending its industrial assembly agreement with OEMs in a bid to boost exports, it has been revealed.Speaking in early March, Maxim Oreshkin, Russia’s Minister of Economic Development, said that although many finished vehicles were already exported, including to Western Europe, the government had now reached a ...