North America
Texas winter storm blackouts hit automotive sector
Severe weather conditions in the US state of Texas over the last ten days have closed down manufacturing locations, including vehicle and parts supplier plants, as well as disrupting delivery routes.
Outsourcing is a cost-effective means to cope with change
Picking the right supplier or logistics partner to troubleshoot supply problems previously managed in-house is proving to be very valuable, according to speakers at the recent Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain North America Live conference.
German carmakers race to secure European battery cell production
The millions of electric vehicles being produced also need millions of batteries. But where do the German manufacturers source their cells from?
SK Innovation banned from the US for 10 years following LG lawsuit
The US International Trade Commission has imposed a 10-year ban on SK Innovation for the importation, domestic production and sale of electric vehicle batteries within the US because of intellectual property theft from rival LG Chem. It is a tough sentence, but perhaps unsurprising given the context of the global push to electrification.
Pandemic gives finished vehicle logistics a fresh perspective
According to speakers at the Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain North America Live conference there was a silver lining to the disruption inflicted on the automotive industry by the coronavirus pandemic: it allowed companies to look at things afresh and identify where existing problems in the outbound supply chain lay hidden by day-to-day activity.
Porsche turns to ICL for better visibility on vehicle deliveries
The continuing need for accurate tracking of vehicles in the outbound supply chain became more of a critical issue last year as assembly plants ramped up production after the Covid shutdowns. Demand for new cars remained strong throughout the crisis, which shrank available inventory 32%, from 3.8m to 2.6m when plants were shut or operating on restricted schedules and according to new safety protocols.
North American vehicle makers steer a course through Covid
This year’s Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain North America Live conference revealed how a strong rebound in North American vehicle sales has taken the supply chain by surprise and exacerbated the misalignment in inbound supply and capacity caused by the Covid-19 shutdowns.
USMCA: The milk in the coconut of North American trade
The renegotiated rules on free trade in North America, known as USMCA, have been in effect six months but are coming under stricter enforcement. Trade experts from Toyota and Canada’s automotive supplier association point to risks around compliance and a lack of clarity in some rules, especially around ’alternative staging regimes’ on localisation – with the risk that some suppliers could lose significant business.
Watch: Welcome to the future of North American automotive supply chains
Kicking off the on-demand content for Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain North America Live, our hosts set out the trends impacting the industry today and how they will reshape processes, service and partnerships.
Watch: A surprisingly bright outlook for North American vehicle sales and production
Despite the pandemic and supply chain disruptions, IHS-Markit is forecasting a stronger-than-anticipated rebound for the North American automotive sector, however there are many headwinds, including for production and exports out of Mexico.
Watch: The race to build a North American lithium-ion battery supply chain
Investing in regional battery supply will be critical for OEMs in North America to compete on electric vehicles, but can battery cell capacity keep up? Analyst Daniel Harrison details the evolving battery production footprint in the region.
Watch: Maintaining Mexico’s competitive edge in supply chain
OEMs in Mexico are facing logistics bottlenecks and expect more to come, which is why Nissan and providers like Jack Cooper are strengthening processes and digital tools in logistics to improve resiliency and flexibility.
Watch: North America automotive suppliers must keep up with USMCA and changing trade policy
Policy experts from Toyota and Canada’s automotive supplier association unpick complex sourcing and compliance rules under USMCA, and look ahead to what the Biden administration could mean for automotive trade.
Watch Think Tank: A 360 view of finished vehicle logistics in North America
Key operators from all corners of the vehicle logistics space discuss the major trends in the sector for 2021 as part of an interactive think tank, including representatives from road, rail, ports, IT and integrated services.
Watch: Managing global supply chains in times of disruption
As the automotive industry faces logistics capacity and semiconductor shortages in the supply chain, experts from Volkswagen Group, emergency freight provider CNW and packaging specialist CHEP discuss systems and strategies to improve resilience.
Watch Think Tank: Top tips on transforming aftersales logistics in North America
In a special think tank workshop, leaders from key players in service parts and aftersales logistics discuss how the industry should respond to the current disruptions and get ready for major changes ahead.
Watch: Toyota turns to technology to redesign US vehicle logistics network
Toyota’s Rick Wishon discusses how the carmaker is using optimisation tools from software specialist Inform to engineer its outbound logistics network to maximise capacity and reduce lead times even as complexity rises.
Watch: Using digitalisation to build supply chains back better
Executives from tier one supplier Magna, 3PL DSV and automation specialist Seegrid outline how automotive manufacturers are accelerating the digitalisation of the supply chain in the wake of the Covid crisis.
Watch: Can OEMs design more flexible and predictive supply chains networks?
Logistics executives from Toyota North America and agricultural equipment manufacturer AGCO discuss their strategies, processes and technologies for advanced logistics and supply chain planning.
Watch: Capturing supply chain data and change in real time – day one in review
Our team unwraps the top themes from the first day of the event on North American automotive logistics, including managing organisational transformation and an urgent need for data transparency.
