Tag: lean transformation

Cross-border automotive freight consolidation to mitigate US tariffs

Logistics service provider CH Robinson is aiming to tackle the impact of higher US tariffs by consolidating freight in its cross-border logistics.

Megan Kelly

Scania signs three-year deal with Unipart to manage service parts centre in Kunshan, China

Unipart is managing logistics operations at Scania’s new Chinese service parts distribution centre in Kunhan, China.

Volvo Cars announces 3,000 redundancies as part of new lean plan

As part of its recently launched cost and cash action plan, the OEM announces it will reduce its global office-based workforce by 15%, mostly based in Sweden.

JLR alternative fuels, digital tools and close supplier collaboration

JLR has been shifting its priorities through its Reimagine Strategy in recent years, laying out a clear vision to become a carbon net zero business by 2039. While the company pushes forward in this vision, its head of freight operations is leading the way for the carmaker’s logistics operations. Automotive Logistics speaks to Levent Yuksel to discover how he is using alternative fuels and data tools to find efficiencies and opportunities for sustainability.

Ceva Logistics using Stradot conveyor robots for vehicle handling at Nanteuil-le-Haudouin facility

Ceva Logistics will start using automated robot conveyors to move vehicles at its distribution yard in Nanteuil-le-Haudouin from September this year.

Stellantis opens $64m Mopar Parts Distribution Center in New York to boost service, automation and supply localisation

Stellantis’s new $64m Mopar Parts Distribution Center (PDC) in East Fishkill, New York helps localise its supply chain within the US.

Nissan is to cease Wuhan production by March 2026 amid fierce competition and financial strain in China

Nissan Motor Co. will shutter its Wuhan plant by March 2026, grappling with low output, fierce competition from Chinese EV makers, and a projected ¥750 billion ($5bn) loss. This retreat underscores the challenges facing foreign automakers in China.

DSV finalises €14.3bn acquisition of DB Schenker, doubling size and strengthening global logistics network

DSV acquires DB Schenker, adding 160,000 staff and boosting revenue to €41.6bn amid rising demand for global logistics solutions.

Thailand’s automotive supply chain challenges and opportunities for competitiveness in ASEAN

Weak demand, US tariffs and slowing EV growth are challenging Thailand’s auto sector, but new incentives may revive competitiveness.

Red Sofa interview | Audi and Helrom discuss scaling sustainable rail logistics at ALSC Europe

In this Red Sofa interview, Audi and Helrom discuss the future of multimodal logistics and the power of collaboration in decarbonisation.

Audi’s supply chain organisation: Logistics and the 360factory strategy

Under Dieter Braun, Audi’s Supply Chain function is highly integrated with objectives closely aligned to the carmaker’s 360factory strategy, including for sustainability, cost control and flexibility.

Economic headwinds shake CEE automotive logistics as cost pressures, nearshoring, and geopolitical shifts reshape supply chains

The economic crosswinds sweeping across the continent threaten to stir into a big storm for the automotive industry in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Automotive Logistics explores how, in the face of uncertainty, logistics providers are streamlining their operations.

BMW’s hydrogen strategy embraces a technology-agnostic approach to reshape automotive logistics

With increasing regulatory pressures and the urgent need to decarbonise operations, automotive leaders are exploring a range of technologies to future-proof their fleets. BMW Group’s latest move – introducing its first hydrogen-powered trucks as part of the European H2Haul pilot project – demonstrates how traditional logistics models are evolving. While electric trucks have been at the forefront of fleet decarbonisation, BMW’s investment in hydrogen fuel cell technology offers another versatile, scalable alternative for long-haul freight that warrants close analysis.

Dieter Braun on how Audi is turning supply chain motion into progress

In the first part of a special interview series, read how Audi is confronting challenges in the automotive market with an emphasis on a holistic supply chain function that makes a positive contribution to the carmaker’s production and products. Head of supply chain Dieter Braun reveals how logistics can add value across the order-to-delivery process.

How smarter packaging design is becoming a competitive advantage in autonomous automotive logistics

Packaging has historically been a siloed aspect of the automotive supply chain that hasn’t evolved in pace with the rest of the industry, but evolution from the status quo could be forced to take place, as existing packaging is not compatible with logistics automation. Automotive Logistics explores why the industry needs to start viewing packaging as a strategic function, and how it could give OEMs a competitive advantage through increasing efficiency and sustainability.

Flexis optimises electric van production with shared platform and localised supply chain in Europe

Flexis, a joint venture between Renault Group, Volvo Group and CMA CGM, has unveiled its new range of electric light commercial vehicles; three models all sharing a skateboard platform. Scheduled to begin production this year, the company is making use of its logistics expertise through a dedicated localisation strategy in Europe. Automotive Logistics reports from the Flexis headquarters in Paris.

Automotive OEMs are slashing costs amid margin squeeze and market shifts in 2025

The automotive supply chain is in constant flux, and this year it’s facing many growing challenges. Following on from our reporting of key automotive logistics trends for 2025, we are diving deeper into the cost pressures OEMs are facing, and how they are cost-cutting across their operations and supply chain to reduce the financial pressure.

North American supply chain under Trump: How the IRA pause affects the EV supply chain

As Trump halts EV incentives, North America’s EV supply chain faces uncertainty. Automotive Logistics explores the logistics and market implications.

Global automotive industry shifts intensify challenges for logistics providers

The automotive supply chain is facing many hurdles this year, as set out in our key automotive logistics trends for 2025. Here, we look deeper at the fragmented nature of the industry, structural changes in flows and demand, and the effects of job losses in the second part of our series.

Honda and Nissan in talks to form joint holding company; Mitsubishi also looking at involvement

The carmakers are also in discussions with Mitsubishi over potential collaboration on standardised products and processes.

Continental to make Automotive a separate European company and sell OESL business

Continental is spinning off its Automotive business unit and selling the Original Equipment Solutions (OESL) business of ContiTech as it looks for greater flexibility in responding to automotive market trends

Top automotive logistics Red Sofa insights of 2024: Sustainability, digitalisation, nearshoring and robotics strategies from leading OEMs

As 2024 draws to a close, we’re looking back at some of our best Red Sofa interviews from this year, where we spoke to experts across the globe about automotive logistics and strategies for success in the supply chain.

GM’s strategy to tackle EV logistics challenges: Digitalisation, nearshoring, and improving supplier relations

Strengthening supplier relationships, nearshoring strategies and digitalisation are enabling GM to enhance supply chain resilience across North America. From securing critical EV components to optimising cross-border logistics, the carmaker is fostering innovation and operational efficiency amid growing challenges.

Recap blog: Insights from Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Digital Strategies Europe 2024

Leaders from BMW, VW, Audi, and more gathered at ALSC Digital Strategies Europe 2024 in Munich, where experts discussed digital solutions for sustainable, resilient and co-creative supply chains. Follow our recap blog below for all the insights, including news, features and Red Sofa video interviews.

Comau developing automated battery disassembly processes for end-of-life batteries as part of EU Reinforce sustainability project

Comau is developing dismantling technology for recycling end-of-life batteries and stationary packs as part of EU’s Reinforce sustainability project.

Frank Göller explains how Catena-X is making manufacturing logistics processes more efficient and resilient

Catena-X, the worldwide initiative to create an open data-sharing network, has moved into a new phase of international development. Audi’s head of digital strategy and portfolio management for production and logistics, Frank Göller, is head of internationalisation at the Catena-X association. He explains to Automotive Logistics how developing global standards for cross-border data exchange will make manufacturing logistics processes more efficient and resilient.

Better visibility supported by digital technology makes for a more resilient supply chain at Brose Group

Uncloaking blind spots in the automotive supply chain requires a continuous and collaborative strategy aimed at greater scrutiny of inventory management, transport and manufacturing processes, supported by the latest digital tools, according to Agnieszka Kubiak, senior vice-president logistics at Brose Group.

GM’s “act as one team” philosophy is redefining supplier partnerships and strengthening internal culture

Heather Latham is uniting General Motors’ (GM) production and customer care operations to create a more integrated, customer-focused supply chain, reshaping its approach to both manufacturing and aftersales service.

BMW focuses on a secondary first process in material sourcing to make its vehicles sustainable says Roberto Rossetti

BMW’s vice-president of engineering Roberto Rossetti explains the carmaker’s innovative and sustainable approach to recycling production materials to solve the problem of scarce resources, volatile commodity prices and geopolitical disruption to the supply chain

Jeffrey Morrison discusses GM’s supply chain shift toward electrification, cost optimisation and evolving supplier partnerships

In a Red Sofa interview at the Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Global conference, GM’s Jeffrey Morrison outlines the company’s strategic shift towards electrification, emphasising the importance of cost optimisation and strengthened partnerships with suppliers to foster innovation and sustainability within the automotive supply chain.

GM halts assembly at Fort Wayne because of supply problem

GM is pausing production at its Fort Wayne Assembly plant in Indiana for one week from September 23 because of “a temporary supply-chain issue” according to the carmaker.

AI, logistics automation will play central role in reducing Stellantis manufacturing costs

At its Factory Booster Day, chief manufacturing officer Arnaud Deboeuf and process engineering lead Jean-Christophe Marchal reveal AI projects with partners for digital twins and retrofitting equipment, including for plant logistics.

How process-mining in the automotive supply chain drives efficiency

The automotive supply chain has been adopting digital technologies to improve visibility, particularly in the finished vehicle logistics (FVL) sector, helping to speed up deliveries and keep costs at a minimum.

Watch on demand - Accelerating change: the power of process-led transformation in automotive logistics

Join this exclusive livestream to learn how carmakers like Toyota can leverage process mining and optimisation to contain costs, maximise revenue, and free up working capital in supply chain and logistics.

Antolin, Gestamp and Fersa embrace AI to transform industrial processes

Autoparts from Spain, a collaborative digital project among automotive suppliers that provides intelligence on the automotive equipment and components industry, reports that the radical transformation of the industry supported by artificial intelligence (AI), is providing opportunities for tier suppliers, with benefits already registered by members Antolin, Fersa Bearings and Gestamp.

BMW’s secret to success is preparation

The heads of global vehicle distribution at BMW Group – Eugen Schantini and Thomas Wiech – tell Marcus Williams about the network strategy and tools the carmaker is using to manage disruption, secure capacity and plan ahead for a more sustainable outbound supply chain

The power of digitalised, automated and sustainable automotive supply chains and logistics

Here are the key Automotive Logistics insights from Torsten Müller (Audi), Adam Jones (Unipart Group), and Gabriel Werner (Blue Yonder) on digitalisation, automation, AI, the role of data, and sustainability from ALSC Europe 2024.

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

GM wins big in 2023, Stellantis and Ford lose out

GM had the strongest sales in North America last year compared to other OEMs, having sold nearly 2.6m units in 2023, up 14% over 2022 according to market analyst Cox Automotive.

Core connections for quality output at JLR

JLR is one carmaker that has been working hard over the last few years to transform manufacturing and supply chain operations up to an Industry 4.0 standard of efficiency and connectivity.

Toyota cultures ambassadors for its digital strategy

The automotive supply chain has become more complex since Covid, demanding from carmakers a more cross-functional strategy supported by the latest digital technology. At Toyota Motor Europe (TME) it also means making its 2,000-strong supply chain team ambassadors for that strategy.

BMW battery cell centre integrates engineering, purchasing and production to scale supply chain

BMW’s new battery cell pilot plant close to Munich will help the carmaker standardise and increase production and supply chain process across battery manufacturing and supply

BMW works with Trailer Dynamics to cut road emissons

BMW Group Logistik has been testing an electric semi-trailer for inbound parts deliveries to its factories in Germany using both a diesel tractor and one driven by battery electric power.

Rinse and repeat to make your supply chain robust

Carmakers are confronted with a wide array of potential disruptions when trying to get service parts to the right place in a timely fashion.

Insourcing and localising supply chains help BMW stay flexible

Insourcing and localising are two of the ways that BMW Spartanburg is staying flexible and lean while growing, according to Oliver Bilstein, vice-president of logistics and production control, BMW Manufacturing.

‘Performing while transforming’ BMW's logistics in Spartanburg: Special series

In the first of our special focus on the logistics for the carmaker’s largest vehicle plant, VP of logistics Oliver Bilstein explains how BMW is investing in digitalisation, space and people to manage complexity, prepare for electrification and mitigate capacity shortages in the US.

Material mission impossible: digital control of BMW’s inbound logistics

BMW has enhanced material planning and control systems for its Spartanburg plant across JIS, JIT and global flows, in close collaboration with Munich and partners in North America.

BMW rides the path of logistics automation

BMW is expanding physical logistics at Spartanburg ahead of EV production, whilst implementing more digital and autonomous technology.

Knowing where to be lean and where to be robust in GM’s supply chain

GM has pursued multiple strategies to increase resilience, from strategic inventory buffers to increasing localisation in North America, according to purchasing chief Jeff Morrison.

BMW powers Spartanburg with ‘local for local’ battery supply chain

The carmaker’s battery assembly plant in South Carolina will be key to reducing logistics costs and risks in EV production.

Rebuilding trust is key to solving the European capacity crisis

The stubborn capacity crisis in the finished vehicle logistics sector in Europe will take time to mend, delegates at the Association of European Vehicle Logistics’ (ECG) Spring Congress heard last week, but industry dialogue is slowly helping to repair broken trust and disrupted contracting cycles.

BMW’s lean, green and digital difference

Mastering successive supply chain crises has reframed the role of logistics at BMW. Dr Michael Nikolaides, senior vice-president of production network and supply chain management, explains how his team is influencing plant and market decisions, thanks in part to improved visibility

BMW invests in local EV battery pack assembly for Hungary plant

The carmaker is increasing investment at its new plant in Debrecen, Hungary to include onsite assembly of batteries with the aim of reducing logistics costs and supply chain complexity

Keeping the flow in Mexico – ensuring supply chain continuity

Ivan Davila, Director of Logistics at Nissan Mexicana discusses the carmaker’s ambitions in efficiency and systems, and is joined on a panel by American Axle Manufacturing, Ascent and Wallenius Wilhelmsen to discuss managing logistics bottlenecks and mitigating disruptions.

Audi’s digital culture change – interview with Francisco Bravo, Audi Mexico

Francisco Bravo Gomez, Senior Director of Supply Chain at Audi Mexico explains the technology, processes and mindset changes that the carmaker is pursuing in Mexico as it transforms it further digitalises its logistics.

BMW digitalises logistics and maintenance in Mexico

BMW is applying the lean, green and digital principles underpinning its iFactory strategy to make logistics more predictable at its plant in San Luis Potosi in Mexico, according to the plant’s CEO, Harald Gottsche

Six notes on a supply chain crisis: key takeaways from ALSC Global 2022

Summing up what was said at this year’s Detroit event: flexibility rules the waves of logistics, but supply chain managers want better visibility and data to make decisions, while investing in the right skills and labour.

Collaborating from the start to design automotive logistics networks and processes

Logistics executives from Toyota North America, Benteler, Carter Logistics and Agillence explore the strategic considerations for logistics from early in product development cycles.

Mitigating risk across global automotive supply chains

Reducing risk and disruption in global logistics is now the daily business of major OEMs like Stellantis and Agco, with a focus on improving control in the upstream supply chain.

GM tackles costly supply chain disruption

Speakers from GM at last week’s Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Global conference in Detroit, detailed how the carmaker was dealing with disruption and building in resiliency to its network, including through collaboration with its lower tier suppliers.

The logistics of resiliency for General Motors

Edgard Pezzo, executive director of global logistics and containerisation, explains how GM has invested in visibility, extra logistics capacity and focused on collaboration to protect the carmaker’s supply chain. He spoke ahead of the Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Global Conference, where he joins on a panel on logistics resiliency.

Walter Ludwig to lead logistics at Lucid while Evelyn Chiang transforms processes

Electric vehicle maker Lucid Motors has appointed Walter Ludwig as its vice-president of global logistics and ex-Tesla supply chain leader Evelyn Chiang as vice-president of process transformation.

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.

Toyota’s tried and tested approach to disruption

Supply chain disruption has been in the headlines for a couple of years now. There seems to be a different problem on a daily basis and they seem to be come from all points of the compass. Brexit disruption, Covid lockdowns, parts and labour shortages, war or extreme weather events, as seen in the recent floods in South Africa, have come one after the other.

No more rough estimates

Toyota has been working to improve transparency in the delivery of its vehicles and provide its dealers with clear and concise information, but that is not all Project ETA promises says Kevin Austin, vice-president of demand and supply management at the carmaker

Talking strategic planning with Kelly Bysouth, IAC’s chief supply chain officer

The global tier one supplier’s top supply chain and procurement executive talks about the importance of joining up data across the network and organisation, maintaining free cash flow in inventory considerations and why she wouldn’t take the job unless she was chief supply chain officer and not only procurement.

Watch: European supply chain needs change in skills and culture to remain global automotive powerhouse

The European automotive industry has faced a year of crises, but if it invests in the right digital tools, adapts sustainable processes and an agile working culture, it can achieve long-term sustainability targets and recovery, according to experts from Volkswagen and CSR Europe.

Watch: How Daimler digitalised its damage claims process for vehicle logistics

In a case study presentation at Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Live, Dr Monica Schmickler explains Mercedes-Benz’s new global quality management system, Q.DOME, and how the carmaker is gaining more visibility and data over vehicle transport damage in its global distribution network.

Watch: How Ford digitalised and insourced global supply chain processes | Your Questions Answered Part II with Amlan Bose

Ford is transforming its supply chain and logistics processes in a number of key regions, including creating an in-house 4PL and rolling out a dynamic transport management system. Following discussion on our popular Livestream Hour edition focused on digitalisation in supply chain and logistics, Ford’s Amlan Bose rejoins Christopher Ludwig to address audience questions on topics including challenges to rollout, whether the system and insourcing will spread to other regions, and how digital control towers are helping Ford in the Covid-19 crisis.

Honda adapts transport processes in North America as supply chain costs rise

BMW employs AI for logistics processes in Europe

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasing role in the logistical aspects of production at BMW’s plants, with the first smart AI control application making its debut at the Steyr engine factory in Austria.

Port of Koper begins processing Mercedes-Benz volumes

Volvo's logistics processes contain some pearls of wisdom