Increasing lean logistics’ influence during a paradigm shift In an era defined by disruption, the Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Global 2025 conference cast a spotlight on lean logistics as a stabilising force across the automotive value chain. Megan Kelly
Watch: Bosch's Adam Olson on digitalisation, de-risking and developing talent Adam Olson, vice president, logistics mobility Americas at Bosch, discusses how the company is cultivating a skilled workforce, ensuring AI readiness and using digital technologies to predict potential supply chain disruptions. Automotive Logistics
Lean machine: Top 10 Red Sofas on lean logistics From multimodal innovation to AI-powered control towers, industry leaders share practical strategies for driving leaner, more resilient logistics operations – and reveal why efficiency is as much about mindset as it is about technology. Charlie Blackie-Kelly
Chandan Trehan of Bosch North America on failing correctly and ensuring digital fluency Leveraging failure can be paramount to success, especially when adopting new digital processes and tools, Trehan says.
European Union imposes retaliatory tariffs on $20bn of US goods in response to Trump’s steel and aluminium duties The European Commission’s proposal to introduce trade countermeasures against the US steel and aluminium tariffs has been approved by European Union member states, following a meeting with automotive industry representatives including BMW, VW Group and Stellantis. Megan Kelly
Expert perspectives on nearshoring: Top 10 Red Sofa interviews on supply chain strategy Updated July 2 2025 – The strategy of nearshoring is reshaping supply chains, bringing immense opportunities and challenges to the forefront. We sat down on the Red Sofa with experts leading the trend across the automotive supply chain. Megan Kelly
Join BMW, Tesla, JLR, and more at ALSC Europe 2025 in Bonn for key automotive logistics insights Europe’s premier automotive logistics and supply chain conference returns to Bonn this 18-20 March. Automotive Logistics
Transforming automotive logistics: Key insights from ALSC DS Europe 2024 day 1 Catch the key moments from Day 1 in Munich! From diversity and talent forums to cutting-edge AI and robotics, we explored how innovation is transforming the automotive supply chain.
Navigating cross-border logistics challenges in complex automotive supply chains At this year’s ALSC Global 2024 conference an expert panel discussed mitigation strategies to ensure seamless international part flows in the face of infrastructure constraints, network disruption and a shifting regulatory landscape. Daniel Harrison reports Daniel Harrison
Mexico now seventh largest auto producer with 3.8m vehicles made and exporting 3.3m units globally There is a high demand for the parts supplied by Mexicoʼs tier one suppliers, with 87% production going for export, making it a powerhouse for the wider North American automotive market. Automotive Logistics talks to some of the leaders about maintaining a resilient supply chain. Simon Warburton
Red Sofa Interview | Jessica Hanson, Bosch on improving cross-border logistics Jessica Hanson, vice-president of Logistics, Bosch North America discusses cross-border logistics, digital innovations and enhanced partnerships in managing cross-border logistics
The latest insights from Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Global 2024 Hello everyone and welcome to the Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Global 2024 recap blog, from our event which took place on 24-26th September at the Henry Hotel in Dearborn, Michigan. Stay tuned to get the latest updates and insights on our conference speakers and the sessions here! Megan Kelly Emily Uwemedimo Marcus Williams
ALSC Mexico 2024 set to return to Mexico City for 10th year More than 550 leading OEMs, logistics providers, supply chain technology specialists and officials will reunite during the event. Automotive Logistics
Red Sofa Interview | Bosch’s Chandan Trehan on the need for open, digital, agile mindsets At the inaugural ALSC Digital Strategies North America, Trehan took to the Red Sofa to discuss the importance of openness, trust and agility in the workforce during the digital transformation of the supply chain.
Communication is critical when managing organisational change The demand for digital technology to manage risk and build in resiliency to the automotive supply chain has accelerated since the disruption caused by the Covid pandemic and the consequent semiconductor shortage. That technological adoption is also driving organisational change at the carmakers and tier suppliers, according to speakers at this year’s Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Digital Strategies North America conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Marcus Williams
ALSC Digital Strategies North America: Recap blog Follow our recap blog below for key highlights and knowledge shared at Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Digital Strategies North America 2024, which focused on digitalising North America’s end-to-end automotive supply chain. Following the event in Nashville on 26-27 June, we will continue sharing news and features that relate to the speakers and companies involved in the event. Keep following the blog, as we will share videos straight from the main stage and the Red Sofa at the event! Automotive Logistics
Red Sofa Interview: Empowering excellence for women in the supply chain Watch Sabine Isenbort, manager of inbound logistics operations at Ford Europe, Isa Kalinska, lead of logistics and distribution at JLR, and Sonia Santors, vice-president of worldwide manufacturing at Bosch on the Red Sofa at ALSC Europe 2024 in Bonn.
Revving up supply chains: A digital leap for resilience and transparency In the wake of recent global disruptions, Europe’s leading carmakers and tier-one suppliers are harnessing advanced digital technologies to fortify their supply chains. These innovations aim to increase transparency, cultivate trust and mitigate losses, ensuring a more secure and efficient future for the automotive industry. Simon Warburton reports Simon Warburton
Automotive Logistics marks International Women’s Day To commemorate International Women’s Day, Automotive Logistics is sharing a collection of recent features and interviews with prominent women in the automotive logistics sector. Automotive Logistics
Empowering automotive supply chain with diversity and innovation In an industry at the crossroads of innovation and tradition, the automotive sector’s shift towards electric vehicles underscores the critical need for diversity and skilled workforce, capable of propelling the sector into its next phase of growth and innovation. Megan Kelly
The automotive supply chain is preparing for the next generation of AI While the use of artificial intelligence (AI) has only become a reality in the automotive supply chain in recent years, the next generation of the technology, generative AI, is being tested and put to use by technology supplier ZF Friedrichshafen. Megan Kelly
Red Sofa Interview: Bosch’s Ekaterina Serban on Supply chain cybersecurity risks and opportunities In this interview, Ekaterina Serban talks about the biggest risks and challenges posed by today’s security environment. With high levels of interconnectivity in products, and compliance and security issues surrounding legacy systems, supply chain cyber concerns are a major challenge for automotive manufacturers and suppliers.
Exchanging healthy and trusted data in the supply chain Digital twins can help improve quality and efficiency while driving future innovations within the supply chain, but many are still hesitant to share their data. At Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Digital Strategies 2023, experts weigh in on how Catena-X could provide a solution and encourage more trust when it comes to data sharing. Megan Kelly
Red Sofa Interview: Dr Birgit Boss talks about Bosch’s adoption of digital twins and semantic models Dr Birgit Boss, senior expert for digital twins and standardisation at Bosch, explains why data is now more important than ever in building more interoperability into the automotive supply chain.
Bosch urges the use of digital twins on shared data platforms Tier one supplier Bosch has been using digital technology to overcome data silos with the aim of reducing costs and managing supply chain complexity. Dr Birgit Boss, Bosch’s senior expert on digital twins, explains how the rest of the automotive industry can benefit from it too Megan Kelly
Red Sofa Interview: Diversity in automotive logistics: taking charge at Bosch Jessica Hanson, VP of logistics North America at Bosch, join the Red Sofa to share her personal story and advice for how women, minorities and other diverse groups can develop in automotive logistics and supply chain.
US Senate investigates forced labour in auto supply chain The US Senate Committee on Finance is looking into the use of Chinese forced labour in the automotive supply chain, and has sent letters to global carmakers and tier one suppliers to ascertain how they are sourcing materials and overseeing their supply chains. Marcus Williams
Renault and Bosch reap the benefits of digital investments Carmakers and their suppliers are looking at a range of digital platforms to provide a complete end-to-end view of the automotive supply chain and make operations more predictable, stable and transparent. They are also looking to save transport costs at a time of rising fuel and equipment costs, a saving that goes hand-in-hand with a more sustainable transport strategy. Marcus Williams
Ulrike Hetzel appointed president of Bosch Digital Bosch has appointed Ulrike Hetzel to head its new Bosch Digital division, which will merge the Bosch.IO subsidiary and the company’s IT services unit from January 2023. Marcus Williams
Bosch expands EV motor production in US Bosch will invest $260m to expand its electric motor production in Charleston, South Carolina and convert an area previously used for diesel engines. Demand for the Bosch’s electric motors is being driven by its supply contract with EV maker Rivian. Hazel Southwell
Bosch to invest €3 billion to increase semiconductor supply The EU and German government will part-fund the expansion of the semiconductor manufacturing which the bloc has identified as an area of strategic importance. Peter Murphy
Bosch invests in capacity to tackle semiconductor shortage Bosch is extending its wafer fabrication facility in Reutlingen, Germany to help tackle the global semiconductor shortage. Marcus Williams
Automotive logistics in Russia is in tatters Already debilitated by the impact of Covid, the Russian automotive market was hoping for better times ahead, but the invasion of Ukraine and the consequent sanctions imposed on Russia have undermined production and sales, and hit the logistics providers hard Automotive Logistics
Ukraine invasion causes widespread supply chain disruption Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine has already had widespread repercussions across Europe’s automotive supply chain and supporting multimodal logistics network. Marcus Williams
VW and Bosch to upscale EV battery output in Europe Volkswagen and tier one supplier Robert Bosch have agreed to establish a joint venture by the end of 2022 to expand the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe. Jason Dunn
How the European automotive industry aims to build back semiconductor and chip supply OEMs, suppliers and EU officials are considering how best to develop Europe’s semiconductor supply bases to mitigate current and future shortages, but the broad gaps at many levels – including for older, larger chips – mean there will be no magic bullet Namrita Chow
Think Tank: Future-proofing aftermarket and service parts logistics As automotive service parts demand and requirements evolve, logistics experts from Jaguar Land Rover, Bosch, Kuehne+Nagel and the European parts association, CLEPA, look to the capacity, technology and network changes necessary to maintain service levels.
AL FVL Spring 2021 Digital Edition – Coping strategies for a global crisis The spring digital edition of Automotive Logistics and Finished Vehicle Logistics is out now, featuring comprehensive overviews of the main vehicle ports in continental Europe and the UK, as well as the maritime transport sector. Plus, we look at the latest packaging initiative supporting VW’s lithium-ion battery deliveries to VW Zwickau, Vijay Ratnaparkhe’s IT revolution at Bosch and talk to carmakers about supply chain lessons ten years on from the Fukushima earthquake disaster Automotive Logistics
How Bosch is connecting its business for the AIoT era Robert Bosch CIO Vijay Ratnaparkhe is continuing a revolution in the company’s corporate IT division as it takes a starring role in connecting Bosch operating units and products – expanding the possibility for data-driven services and AI across the business and supply chain. Interview by Ralf Bretting and Christopher Ludwig Christopher Ludwig Ralf Bretting
A fab future for the automotive sector A shortage of semiconductors is hampering global automotive production. Bettina Weiss, chief of staff and global smart mobility lead at electronics association SEMI, tells Marcus Williams why this is happening and why OEMs need to forge more direct links with the chip manufacturers Marcus Williams
Semiconductor shortage will hit auto industry well into 2021 An ongoing shortage in semiconductor supply is disrupting production of parts and vehicles around the world. The supply bottleneck, which is caused by a combination of factors, including the impact of Covid-19 on production in the first half of 2020 and on manufacturing investment, is affecting a number of major carmakers and their suppliers. Marcus Williams
Your webinar questions answered: How tier 1 suppliers are responding to tough headwinds You asked, we answer. We return to the questions from our audience that we didn’t have time to answer in our live webinar, ranging from which parts of automotive tier 1 suppliers’ business models are at risk of commodification, to how tier suppliers are changing supply chain processes Daniel Harrison Christopher Ludwig
Watch: How to mitigate falling profits in the automotive supply base Following our latest report: Automotive Tier Supplier Profit Analysis 2020, watch our webinar: How to mitigate falling profits in the automotive supply base, where our automotive analysts provide more in-depth insights into where Tier 1 supplier profit margins are heading, what the impact will be across the supply chain, and learn about practical insights around how to manage margin compression. You can also download the entire report for free: Automotive Tier Supplier Profit Analysis 2020. For answers to the Q&A that were not covered during the webinar, see additional answers from the presenters here.
Part and parcel of the problem: why tier 1 supplier logistics will face a squeeze As OEMs and automotive parts suppliers see their margins decline, cost pressures are going to increase on logistics operations and service providers further down the supply chain Daniel Harrison Christopher Ludwig
Tearing profits apart: how tier one automotive suppliers can mitigate shrinking margins The latest report by Automotive from Ultima Media examines the profits and outlook for the top 20 automotive parts suppliers and explores the strategies and solutions they should consider to avoid significant disruption in the 2020s. Automotive from Ultima Media
Suppliers set CEE on firm foundations Central and Eastern Europe has developed a strong automotive supply base over the past few decades and is now gearing up to support major trends such as electrification Vladislav Vorotnikov
Automotive Tier Supplier Profit Analysis 2020: Mitigating Margin Compression Automotive tier 1 suppliers are facing unprecedented industry transformation in electrification along with economic uncertainty. Download this report on the top 20 global suppliers for a deep analysis of their historic margins, as well as solutions for how suppliers could cope with the growing pressures across the supply chain Automotive from Ultima Media
Service parts part 1: Moving fast towards the customer Twenty years of automotive service parts logistics Christopher Ludwig
