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
Vehicle imports to Vietnam increase in first half of 2025 Vietnam’s automotive imports are on track to set a new record in 2025, with customs data showing a sharp rise in volumes and value as domestic production and global trade flows drive increased supply chain activity. Marcus Williams
Sponsored Vehicle Protection Structures: Hail and half of Georgia Kia is about to benefit from a huge hail protection canopy from Vehicle Protection Structures that will also provide it with 10+ megawatts of clean energy at its West Point manufacturing plant in Georgia. Automotive Logistics
Trump’s proposed Ukraine peace deal signals major shifts in automotive logistics, reshaping markets in Russia, Europe, and China A 30-day Russia-Ukraine ceasefire proposed by the Trump administration on March 11, designed to be a prelude to a lasting peace deal, can pave the way to tremendous changes for the automotive industry in Russia, Europe and China. Vladislav Vorotnikov
Associated British Ports to develop Stallingborough finished vehicle facility in Humber region of UK Associated British Ports is developing a vehicle storage and distribution facility near the Humber ports of Grimsby and Immingham in the UK. Marcus Williams
Hyundai-Kia expands contract with car carrier Eukor to five years and strengthens presence in Asia Eukor has succesfully extended the terms of its contract to ship Hyundai and Kia vehicles from Korea as well as adding extra trade from China. Marcus Williams
Red Sofa Interview | Kia México’s multidimensional approach to logistics, customs and purchasing Ricardo Ortega Márquez, senior manager for purchasing, customs and logistics at Kia México takes to the Red Sofa at ALSC Mexico 2024 to discuss the innovative strategies driving the OEM’s success.
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
Kia enters European commercial electric van market Kia is entering the European light-commercial electric vehicle market with its full-electric Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) van range, due to launch next year via import from South Korea. Megan Kelly
Brunswick port boosts vehicle and machinery handling in 2023 The US port of Brunswick moved more than 775,560 finished vehicle and machinery units last year, an increase of 15.6% on ro-ro performance in 2022. Marcus Williams
Strategies for a sustainable US auto sector The latest legislation on domestic EV production in the US will strengthen a more sustainable vehicle industry there, but it will also lead to a significant shift in the balance of imports and exports Marcus Williams
Watch: Vehicle logistics now a top priority at Kia America Steve Center, COO of Kia America explains how vehicle logistics and visibility have become more important across the carmaker’s sales and marketing in the face of long vehicle waiting times and business model changes.
Watch: How to up the processing power at vehicle distribution centres Changing supply chain dynamics are putting more pressure on VDCs to improve processing scheduling and visibility. Glovis America’s Darren Acker discuss innovations with Cognosos’s Adrian Jennings.
Watch: What the new inventory paradigm means for vehicle logistics In the opening session of Finished Vehicle Logistics North America, Kia America’s COO Steve Center and Nissan North America’s top supply chain executive Chris Styles explain how a new supply chain operating model has transformed how top executives view finished vehicle logistics.
Outbound sector needs accurate deliveries in the nick of time In the midst of continuing disruption to the automotive supply chain from a variety of causes there has never been a greater importance attached to getting finished vehicles to market on time. Marcus Williams
BLG upbeat on performance despite automotive losses In its latest annual financial report, BLG Logistics reports earnings in its Automobile division that are significantly below target because of continued problems in the automotive industry. However, earnings were positive and the company is investing to digitalise operations and make them more sustainable. Marcus Williams
Ford looks at India as export production hub for EVs Ford has indicated it could salvage manufacturing in India by focusing on electric vehicles (EVs) for export markets. Marcus Williams
Europe’s electric future cannot be free of charge Carmakers in Europe are working against the clock to ensure they meet regulations on vehicle emissions by 2030, mainly through the electrification of the vehicles they make. However, those efforts are contingent upon there being an adequate charging infrastructure in place. Namrita Chow assesses the state of play Namrita Chow
Hyundai Glovis signs venture with BLG Logistics at Bremerhaven As of January 2022 Hyundai Glovis will be using the port of Bremerhaven in Germany as its hub for vehicles in transit from Asia to Europe in a new deal signed with BLG Logistics. Marcus Williams
E-book: Productivity gains in real time – Unlocking ROI in vehicle logistics tracking solutions Download this free e-book to learn how the return-on-investment for next generation real time location services has changed for finished vehicles in the post-cloud, post-AI technology landscape, with significant cost, operational and time advantages for OEMs compared to legacy systems. In partnership with Cognosos. Finished Vehicle Logistics Vehicle Logistics Malcolm Wheatley
Flooding knocks out rail and road links to port of Vancouver All rail services in and out of the Canadian port of Vancouver have been halted because of damage caused by the torrential rain and flooding that hit the province of British Columbia last week. There has also been extensive damage to highways in the southern part of the province. Marcus Williams
Philaport benefits from grant for berth development at Southport terminal The US port of Philadelphia (PhilaPort) has secured a $49m grant from the Department of Transport (USDOT) to help the development of a $130m multi-use berth at the Southport ro-ro terminal. Marcus Williams
Cross the plains and rugged mountains Canadian Pacific has a network stretching across Canada and into the US, and its significant and continued investment in services for vehicle making customers is expected to bring a fast recovery from last year’s disruption, writes Marcus Williams Marcus Williams
BLG expands Kelheim capacity for Kia BLG Logistics has commissioned the building of a third multistorey car park at its inland auto terminal in Kelheim, Germany for Kia Motors Deutschland. Marcus Williams
Strong sales and chip shortage squeeze US vehicle inventory US vehicle inventory is down 37%, to 2.24m units compared to the same period to the end of April in 2020, according to analyst firm Cox Automotive. Marcus Williams
The way we buy cars has changed forever The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated a latent online sales trend, with more than 50% of vehicles across Europe currently sold across some form of online channel, according to new research. This has solidified automakers’ roll out plans for new sales structures across the continent and beyond. Namrita Chow
EV start-up Arrival to build microfactory in South Carolina Arrival, the start-up that plans to build electric commercial vehicles in what it calls ‘microfactories’, has announced its first US production location in York County, South Carolina. It has also raised $118m from funds managed by BlackRock. Illya Verpraet
Hyundai to build R&D centre and factory in Singapore In a virtual groundbreaking ceremony, Hyundai has announced it is building the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center in Singapore (HMGICS) which will serve as a new R&D centre and small-scale production facility with an output of up to 30,000 vehicles per year and help to forge a new supply chain in the city state. Illya Verpraet
Watch: A brand new Element at commercial EV startup Arrival Tracey Yi, who is leading Arrival’s new component and procurement division, Elements, talks to Christopher Ludwig about the electric bus manufacturer’s unique supply chain and manufacturing localisation strategy.
Fully automated microfactories mean more resilient manufacturing says Arrival Electric commercial vehicle maker Arrival could have as many as 1,000 automated microfactories operating by 2026, with the first now under construction. Localised supply is a priority and the manufacturing and logistics will be supported by industry 4.0 technology Illya Verpraet
Pros and cons on the Pacific Coast While vehicle dwell and allocation are still challenges for some ports, others are benefitting from capacity gains and stronger rail links, which are helping with increased short-sea trade from Mexico and the build-up of inventory during Covid-19. Marcus Williams reports Marcus Williams
Watch: Livestream Hour Episode 7 - Finished Vehicle Logistics: Restarting the network This special livestream episode focuses on the finished vehicle logistics network and how it is preparing to restart for the new normal, with insights from Hyundai Glovis, ProAct and more. Hosted by Christopher Ludwig and featuring updates and insights from the crisis and beyond for automotive supply chain and manufacturing. Christopher Ludwig
Watch: Kia maintains investment, launches and stability in Europe Kia Motors Europe chief operating officer, Emilio Herrera, and director of marketing, Carlos Lahoz, outline how the Korean brand is learning from supply chain and production disruptions, digitalising sales channels and maintaining investment in electrification to chart a route towards recovery in Europe.
Kia suspends production in Slovakia on supply shortages Kia has had to halt the assembly lines two weeks after restarting them, demonstrating the challenges that OEMs face in restarting vehicle production during the ongoing lockdown and coronavirus crisis. Christopher Ludwig
Stronger connections for a competitive future Haropa ports, which runs the Seine Axis ports of Le Havre, Rouen and Paris, is meeting storage capacity constraints with investment, redevelopment and the application of smart technology Marcus Williams
Calling stop on automotive supply chains: how long can companies survive the Covid-19 crisis? With the coronavirus pandemic causing a level of automotive plant shutdowns not seen since the second world war, suppliers and logistics providers will face failures without direct support from government, and close collaboration with OEMs and industry. Christopher Ludwig
Pairing up for progress: The advance of digital twins Offering a more accurate picture of an asset or process than simple modelling systems, digital twins are now widespread in the automotive industry. Soon they may be essential Steve Garnsey
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
Room for manoeuvre with Glovis at Philaport Glovis America is now operating a new $110m vehicle terminal at the port of Philadelphia on the US east coast, providing much-needed capacity at a time when larger car-carrying vessels are loading and discharging greater volumes Marcus Williams
Blowing the footprint at Castle Bromwich Jaguar Land Rover’s Castle Bromwich plant in the UK Midlands was this year’s venue for the Automotive Logistics UK summit. Originally the site made fighter planes and bombers, a fitting location for an industry doing battle with economic and trade uncertainty, and a carmaker used to facing adversity with innovation Marcus Williams
FCA–PSA fusion: first of the electric shock waves? The merger attempt by FCA and PSA will be complicated but makes economic and operational sense, including for supply chain management and logistics. Whether or not it goes ahead, more consolidation is likely as the automotive industry gears up for electrification Daniel Harrison Christopher Ludwig
Slovakia stays strong in straightened times Slovakia has the world’s highest per capita rate of vehicle production. But after recent setbacks, including job cuts, its government has laid out a new strategy for automotive Vladislav Vorotnikov
Can Central Asia be transformed into an automotive hub? Two former soviet republics, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, have set their sights on growing an automotive sector to help modernise their economies. These Cental Asian nations are focusing on strengthening their supply bases to boost local production of cars and parts. Ian Henry
Iran’s automotive industry left to rust US-led sanctions have devastated Iran’s automotive industry, disrupting its supply of components and causing production to fall. Automotive Logistics assesses the damage Ian Henry
North American ports go in search of the promised land US east coast ports have been grabbing land to handle increased volumes while some on the west coast deal with dramatic volume fluctuations. In Mexico, meanwhile, private investment is helping to deal with congestion. Marcus Williams reports on the performance of North American vehicle handling ports in 2018 Marcus Williams
Working together to drive out disruption In the context of testing trade relations and new technology in supply chains, finished vehicle logistics providers need to work out how to position themselves for the future, delegates heard at April’s FVL North America conference in Huntington Beach, California Victoria Johns
Fighting for space at Europe’s ports European vehicle-handling ports faced a squeeze on space last year for several reasons, including wild fluctuations in distribution patterns caused by WLTP implementation. But the situation is now improving, because of investment in infrastructure and digital technology Marcus Williams
Production & logistics part 4: Logistics organisations and skills How has your company’s supply chain and logistics management organisation changed over the past 20 years? Christopher Ludwig
Production & logistics part 3: Operations, packaging and IT How have supply chain operations for logistics changed over the past 20 years? Christopher Ludwig
Production & logistics part 2: Questioning the future This article is one of a series of pieces celebrating Automotive Logistics’ 20th anniversary issue that together take an extended look at the way top executives feel automotive production and logistics have changed in the last two decades – and where they see them heading in the future. Christopher Ludwig
