Rest of the world
Positive global production and sales forecast, tempered by cautious North American and European outlook
Global automotive production sees growth, but North America and Europe face slower sales and capacity challenges amid shifting market dynamics and electrification trends.
ALSC Europe 2024 in pictures: Day 1
Here’s how the first day of the Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Europe 2024 went. From panels, networking sessions to a grand gala dinner on a boat, the event had it all. Stay tuned for pictures from day two
Global vehicle demand forecast 2020-2030: The drastic impact of the coronavirus crisis
Download our full report and analysis on the devastating impact of the coronavirus crisis on global vehicle demand across major regions. Our forecast includes assessments according to best case, base case and worst case scenarios across North America, Europe, China, Japan, South America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.
Distribution Down Under: How AIVs are smartening up Toyota’s new parts centre
Japanese carmaker Toyota has now commissioned what it describes as “the most advanced automotive distribution centre in Australia” as part of its strategy of transitioning from manufacturing to purely logistical operations in the country. Intelligent robots and sophisticated design are helping the carmaker to achieve new levels of warehousing efficiency…
Nissan Sunderland exports new Leaf to Australia and South America
Nissan has started delivering volumes of the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle (EV) to Australia and South America. The cars are being exported from the carmaker’s Sunderland plant in the UK…
Bridgestone to buy TomTom Telematics
Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone Europe has agreed to buy TomTom’s telematics business for €910m ($1.03 billion).
Subaru resumes production at Gunma after shutdown
Subaru has restarted vehicle production at its Gunma assembly plant in Japan after a prolonged shutdown due to a possible defect in an electric power steering unit.
Turkish exports bolster falling domestic sales
Turkey’s automotive industry had a mixed year in 2018. Sales in its domestic market for passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles (LCVs) were down by 35%, according to the Automotive Distributors Association (ODD), at 621,000 compared to 956,000 in 2017.
Mercedes-Benz plans production in Egypt
Mercedes-Benz Cars is planning to build a car plant in Egypt with an as-yet-unnamed local business partner. Markus Schäfer, member of the divisional board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, production and supply chain (left) with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi“Egypt is an attractive and competitive location for production and supporting logistics,” ...
The long way home
For inbound automotive supply chains, returnable packaging just makes sense. No carmaker wants to spend money on wood, paper and cardboard again and again, only to have to fork out straight away for costly waste disposal.
Nissan marks millionth export from Thailand
Nissan has marked its millionth vehicle export from Thailand, 20 years after exports first began from the South-East Asian country. The millionth vehicle exported was a Terra premium SUV.
Hanging in the balance
Lower production output, slower growth in export markets and several regulatory and operational issues are threatening to unbalance Poland’s finished vehicle market
Mexican car industry calls for action on fuel shortage
Mexico’s new federal government has launched a radical strategy to combat the country's long-term problem of fuel theft. However, this has led to fuel shortages in central regions, which have closed gas stations, and is now threatening the transport and logistics supporting the automotive sector.
Gianclaudio Neri new MD of Ceva in Italy
Gianclaudio Neri has been appointed managing director of Ceva Logistics business in Italy, succeeding Christophe Poitrineau, who is leaving the logistics provider to pursue other career opportunities.
Fatal ship fire leaves Nissan vehicles stranded
Around 3,500 Nissan vehicles are reported to be adrift in the Pacific Ocean between Japan and Hawaii following a fire aboard the Sincerity Ace car carrier operated by Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL).
Progress for all to CEE
In past decades, international investment has flowed into the automotive industry in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) primarily due to it being a low-cost production centre. However, these days the region has much more to attract such investment, including a well-trained workforce, a wide-ranging supplier base and improving logistics infrastructure, ...
Q&A: Neuton Karassawa
Can you give an overview of GM’s logistics activities in Brazil, and your own responsibilities?The scope of my function in the region is to handle the inbound pieces and materials, such as local inbound flows from overseas to South America. I [also] manage outbound flows from the factories to customers ...
Stepping up the pace
When Groupe PSA bought Opel/Vauxhall from GM in 2017 for €2.2 billion ($2.33 billion), Gefco was already providing logistics services for it. Then, when Opel/Vauxhall renewed its contract for fourth-party logistics (4PL) services with Gefco in October 2018 for a further four years, Gefco was tasked with finding further cost ...
Contrasting trends mark Mexico's car market
Domestic sales of light vehicles are down, exports are up, while production is little changed. These are the key trends in recent months to emerge from the latest survey of the Mexican market by the country’s sector body AMIA. The 1.28m vehicles sold in the year to November represented a ...