Tag: emergency logistics

Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Digital Strategies North America 2025 – Day two

Watch the wrap up of day two from the second annual Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Digital Strategies North America 2025

Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Digital Strategies North America 2025 - Day one wrap up

As our guests gathered to continue the conversations and catch up with peers last night at our evening drinks reception, hosted by Cognosos, Inc., our Chief Content Officer Christopher Ludwig managed to take a few moments away from the bustle to catch you all up on the discussions being had and what to expect from day two.

Reimagining Finished Vehicle Logistics: Highlights from FVL North America 2025

Watch all the highlights from #FVLNA 2025.

Reimagining Finished Vehicle Logistics: Key Themes from Day 1 at FVL North America 2025

Christopher Ludwig, chief content officer at Automotive Logistics, wraps up the first full day of sessions at Finished Vehicle Logistics North America 2025. From regional strategies to VIN-level visibility, he reflects on how the sector is reimagining itself in the face of continuous disruption, evolving partnerships and rising quality expectations.

Finished Vehicle Logistics North America 2025 Golf day

ILA and USMX sign six-year Master Contract securing wage increases and controls on automation

In the latest development in the dispute between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance (USMX), both parties have reached an agreement on a new six-year master agreement, subject to review and ratification by members on both sides.

ALSC Europe 2025 - Highlights video

ALSC Europe 2025: Conference Day 2 wrap-up

Christopher Ludwig, chief content officer, Automotive Logistics closes out the final day of the ALSC Europe 2025 conference in Bonn…

ALSC Europe 2025: Conference Day 1 wrap-up

Christopher Ludwig, Chief Content Officer at Automotive Logistics, takes us to the Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Europe exclusive Networking Dinner after a full day packed with cutting-edge insights, insightful discussions, and networking…

ALSC Europe 2025: Welcome Cocktail Reception

Christopher Ludwig, Chief Content Officer at Automotive Logistics and Ultima Media, takes us to the Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Europe exclusive Welcome Coctkail Reception and discusses key agenda topics fo this year’s event…

Flooding caused by climate change is set to be the biggest threat to the automotive supply chain in 2025

Climate change, and particularly flooding, will be the biggest threat to the supply chain in 2025, according to analysis by Everstream Analytics.

Typhoon Kong-rey’s disruption on automotive logistics highlights the need for predictive tools

Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall in Taiwan at the end of October before impacting the Philippines, East China, South Korea and Japan, disrupting ports in the region.

Day 2 highlights and conference wrap-up: Digital transformation and talent development take centre stage

Christopher Ludwig, chief content officer, Automotive Logistics closes out the final day of the ALSC Mexico 2024 conference in Mexico City…

Day 1 highlights: Logistics leaders tackle Mexico’s supply chain challenges at Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Mexico 2024

Christopher Ludwig, chief content officer, Automotive Logistics takes us to the Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Mexico exclusive gala dinner after a full day packed with cutting-edge insights, insightful discussions, and networking…

ALSC Mexico 2024 recap blog: Discussing nearshoring, digital transformation and cross-border strategies

The tenth Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Mexico conference has wrapped up, after industry leaders, logistics experts and automotive pioneers gathered to discuss the latest trends, challenges and innovations transforming Mexico’s automotive supply chain. That transformation comes at an uncertain time for the North American supply chain, with shifting global dynamics and a pivotal US election.

Stellantis, GKN Automotive partner with logistics providers to mitigate disruption

At Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Global, logistics leaders from Stellantis and GKN Automotive shared they are partnering with providers and suppliers to de-risk the supply chain.

ALSC Global 2024: Day 2 wrap-up and conference close

Christopher Ludwig, Chief Content Officer, Automotive Logistics closes out the final day of the ALSC Global 2024 conference in Dearborn, Michigan

ALSC Global 2024: Conference Day 1 wrap-up

Christopher Ludwig, Chief Content Officer, Automotive Logistics takes us on a river cruise in Detroit after day one of the Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Global 2024 conference…

ALSC Global 2024: Cocktail reception wrap-up

Christopher Ludwig takes us behind the scenes at ALSC Global 2024…

How GM is boosting resiliency through predictive AI tools

On day two of ALSC Global 2024 David Leich, executive director, Global Supply Chain at GM took to the stage to discuss the roadmap for connected and predictive supply chains.

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!

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.

Canada rail strikes live blog: Authority orders arbitration between Teamsters and rail companies

Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) union has appealed against the arbitration that ended the work stoppage at CN and CPKC

Maersk: Container volume to rise, Red Sea disruption continues

Shipping company AP Møller-Maersk has raised its outlook for the global container market volume growth for the full year, despite supply chain disruption caused by the situation in the Red Sea which is now expected to continue at least until the end of the year.

Global IT outage affects ports in US, Europe and Africa

The global IT outage that hit industries across the world today has affected ports and airports across the US, Europe, Africa and more, causing problems for the automotive supply chain globally.

Red Sofa Interview | Vinturas’ Ronald Kleijwegt on interoperability and private blockchain in automotive logistics

At the inaugural ALSC Digital Strategies North America, Kleijwegt took to the Red Sofa to discuss the importance of interoperability in the digitalisation of the supply chain, and the barriers that can come into play.

Red Sofa Interview: Skotti Fietsam on calculating ROI of digitalisation for Accuride’s supply chain

At the inaugural ALSC Digital Strategies North America, the head of supply chain for tier one supplier of wheels for commercial vehicles, Accuride, took to the Red Sofa to discuss how to calculate hard and soft savings and return on investment for digital technologies.

Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Digital Strategies North America - Day two wrap-up

As Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Digital Strategies North America 2024 comes to a close, join us to take a look at all the inspiring content of the day. From discussions on supply chain transformation, to advancements in technology and what the automotive logistics sector of the future will look like.

Volkswagen Group’s North America vehicle logistics approach saves cost and delivery time

In the last year, Volkswagen Group of America’s finished vehicle logistics teams have united their US, Mexico and Canada divisions, under the umbrella of Anu Goel’s leadership and ’Virtual Task Force’. Now, Goel and the team are seeing results, not only in efficiency and capacity, but in millions of dollars’ worth of working capital and transport savings.

Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Digital Strategies North America - Day one wrap-up

As Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Digital Strategies North America 2024 kicks off for the first time ever, join us to take a look at all the inspiring content of the day. From discussions on organisational and supply chain transformation, to risk-sensing and increasing visibility through digital tools.

Port of Baltimore fully restored as last bridge debris is removed

The port of Baltimore could reopen as early as this weekend as the last piece of steel bridge has been removed from the Fort McHenry Federal Channel, following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March.

How to democratise data and enable transparency in FVL

Sharing data and knowledge in finished vehicle logistics, and across the wider automotive logistics sector, will be beneficial for OEMs and tier suppliers alike – but despite this, there is still a reluctance to break the industry norms and trust other parties with data and information. At this year’s Finished Vehicle Logistics North America conference, leaders from Ford, Subaru, VW and more spoke about why it’s necessary to break the status quo and democratise data to see effective results.

ECG European market outlook shows gradual recovery amid constraints and rise of protectionism against China

At the ECG Spring Congress 2024, Justin Cox, director of global production at LMC Automotive, offered keen insights into the European automotive market’s current state. With inflationary woes and China’s sway looming large, Cox’s address highlighted the imperative for agile adaptation amidst market flux.

Lufthansa Cargo starts Frankfurt to Monterrey air-freight service

From June 3 Lufthansa Cargo is offering a connection from its home hub in Frankfurt, Germany to Monterrey in Mexico, via Mexico City, the first European cargo airline to connect Europe with Monterrey.

Finished Vehicle Logistics North America: Recap blog

Follow our recap blog below for key highlights and knowledge shared at Finished Vehicle Logistics North America 2024. We will be sharing news and videos straight from the main stage and the Red Sofa, including insight, data and quotes from the automotive experts who discussed how they are disrupting the status quo, and raising performance through innovation, flexibility and partnerships.

Canada rail faces strike action

The Teamsters Canada union, which represents 9,000 workers at Canada’s two biggest railroads, has threatened strike action that would disrupt North America’s supply chains from as early as May 22.

Transforming auto shipping: Navigating global challenges with containerisation

Tight ro-ro capacity has led to an increase in the volume of finished vehicles shipped by container but the advantages of doing so suggest a wider adoption which experts in the field say could be here to stay

Future-proofing the finished vehicle trucking fleet in North America

Road transport providers in North America have been working with OEMs on a range of initiatives to better utilise capacity as vehicle output continues to recover despite bottlenecks and capacity shortages. Key FVL trucking providers speak to Megan Kelly about how they are mitigating disruption, enhancing services and navigating congestion affecting other modes.

Competition takes repair services to the next level

PARTNER CONTENTThis content was produced by Automotive Manufacturing Solutions in partnership with DRS GroupThe automotive repair industry has been stagnant for some time, and more competition is needed to drive innovation, cut customer costs and improve services. World Record Holder in hail damage repair, DRS Group, wants to change that.

Tensions in Middle East trigger war risk premiums in freight rates

As tensions escalate in the Middle East, Iran has captured a container ship linked to Israel, leading to heightened volatility in shipping markets. Container trading firm Container xChange is predicting a rise in war risk premiums.

US Coast Guard opens alternate channel at Baltimore bridge site

The US Coast Guard has opened an alternate channel for vessels at the site of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore port.

Baltimore FVL vessels re-route to New York, Norfolk and Philadelphia

Vessels that had been bound for Baltimore port have started to re-route after the cargo vessel Deli collapsed the Francis Scott Key Baltimore bridge in Maryland.

Baltimore port likely to be closed until May after bridge collapse

The Francis Scott Key Bridge at Baltimore port, Maryland, collapsed into the Patapsco River on 26 March after being struck by a cargo ship, setting off an emergency response and a search and rescue effort.

Ready for any crisis, anywhere in Volkswagen Group’s supply chain

Crisis management has become de rigueur for Group Logistics, and has led to changes in capacity planning, visibility and mindset across the company.

How Group Logistics is overcoming crises and shaping Volkswagen's future supply chain

Volkswagen Group Logistics can increasingly master disruptions thanks to greater resiliency, but its managing director Simon Motter is making sure the group is ready to deliver on long-term goals for electrification, sustainability and cost.

On the road to recovery in the east

The automotive industry in eastern Europe is in strong post-pandemic recovery mode, with associated gains for logistics providers. However, the region requires investment in transport and infrastructure improvements, and in EV production, if it is to build a competitive edge against a Chinese foothold in Hungary

Maersk opts for land bridge due to Panama Canal drought

Container shipping line Maersk has changed its services due to the ongoing drought affecting the Panama Canal and is instead opting for a ‘land bridge’ to mitigate disruptions.

Red Sea blog: Live updates

Houthi attacks on vessels passing through the Red Sea are increasing, causing container ship and ro-ro operators to reroute vessels to avoid danger. Follow Automotive Logistics’ live blog below for the latest updates.

Richard Campbell moves from Volvo Cars to time:matters

Richard Campbell has taken up a new role as industry lead for automotive at emergency logistics provider time:matters. Campbell moves from his position at Volvo Cars as senior director of global packaging engineering.

Red Sofa Interview: Audi Mexico’s agile supply chain strategies

Francisco Bravo discusses Audi Mexico’s journey towards supply chain excellence, addressing challenges, embracing technology and aligning with the brand’s vision for a sustainable future.

Red Sofa Interview: Unveiling Nissan’s approach to talent and tech in Mexico

Chris Styles, vice-president of supply chain management at Nissan North America, discusses talent needs and technological evolution with Automotive Logistics’ editor-in-chief Christopher Ludwig at this year’s Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Mexico conference. Styles emphasises messaging for the younger workforce, digitalisation and automation in supply chain operations, and Nissan’s priorities for advancing Mexican infrastructure alongside teh country’s established OEM ecosystem

How Volkswagen Mexico is digitalising its supply chain

As Mexico’s supply chain grows, so too do challenges and opportunities for digitalisation. Peter Koltai, senior director of production control and logistics at Volkswagen de México, told delegates at Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Mexico 2023 how he is using digital tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce risk and drive profit.

Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Mexico: Day two wrap-up

To finish this year’s ALSC Mexico conference, Christopher Ludwig, editor-in-chief, Automotive Logistics runs through the highpoints of day two of the event.

Red Sofa Interview: Collaborating with Mexican authorities to ease logistics constraints

Lizette Gracida, senior director of external affairs and trade compliance at Toyota Motor de Mexico joins the Red Sofa at Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Mexico to share how collaboration can ease bottlenecks and improve logistics within the country.

Unreliable forecasting remains a key challenge for automotive logistics

Panellists at Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Global 2023 conference revealed the issues they face with unpredictability and the resulting logistics network challenges.

Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Global: Recap

Follow our recap blog below to get the most important insights from Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Global 2023 in Detroit.

Toyota suspends all Japan assembly plants following order system glitch

Toyota has suspended all operations across all its Japan plants due to a glitch in its production order system that occurred yesterday.

GM pauses production of trucks due to parts shortage

GM has paused the production of its Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks at three of its North American plants due to parts shortages.

Talking from the top of GM’s supply chain: Jeff Morrison is investing in change

In an Automotive Logistics Red Sofa Interview, General Motors’ vice-president for global purchasing and supply chain talks resilience, transforming battery and chip resilience, and why finished vehicle logistics is now one of his top global concerns.

AI analytics ranks factory fires as top disruption to automotive supply chains

A supply chain mapping company using artificial intelligence (AI) found that the automotive sector accounted for 60% of all supply chain disruptions.

Out of sight is not out of mind in today’s vehicle logistics

Giving the end customer an accurate date for the delivery of their vehicle has taken on greater importance since the Covid pandemic.

Volatile output and tight ro-ro capacity disrupt auto volumes on US east coast

Disruption to the production of vehicles and a tightening of ro-ro capacity resulted in a 5.6% drop in vehicle handling at the US ports of New York and New Jersey in 2022, compared to the previous year. The port processed just more than 444,000 vehicles last year. For the first quarter of 2023 volumes were down by almost 25% compared to Q1 2022, with just over 89,500 vehicles processed.

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.

Interview: Step-by-step to a better supply chain at Plastic Omnium

Plastic Omnium’s Étienne Jacob wants to improve communication between OEM and tier one supply chain teams to help mitigate risks – part of his strategy of practical steps for suppliers to improve efficiency, sustainability and digitalisation one step at a time.

Adapt and overcome in the year ahead

The automotive industry has been hit by a series of disruptions, from pandemic to war, so what is the outlook for automotive supply chains in 2023? Andrew Austin, group operations director at Priority Freight, says OEMs need the services of a complete end-to-end logistics provider

Improved chip supply helps JLR return to profit

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has reported an improvement in the supply of semiconductors chips helped it return to profitability in the third quarter.

Supply chain planning to avoiding the next crisis in Mexico and beyond

Gerardo De La Torre Garcia describes how Nissan managed the semiconductor crisis, including how the company adapted supply, logistics and production and its impacts in Mexico and beyond. Experts from logistics providers Ryder and timematters give insights on avoiding future crises.

VW partners for strong logistics in Mexico – Interview with Peter Koltai, Volkswagen de Mexico

Peter Koltai, Senior Director for Production Control and Logistics at Volkswagen de Mexico speaks to Editor-in-Chief Christopher Ludwig about how the carmaker has been managing logistics disruption in Mexico, and how its supply chain is preparing to the launch of electric vehicle production in Puebla.

Nissan’s extreme flexibility in Mexico – interview with Ivan Davila, Director of Logistics at Nissan Mexico

Ivan Davila caught up with editor-in-chief Christopher Ludwig in Mexico City to discuss how Nissan has adapted processes and worked in new ways with logistics providers to improve flexibility, and to manage capacity constraints in areas like vehicle logistics.

A sneak peak at the Gala Dinner at Club de Banqueros at Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Mexico 2022

Take a look inside the gala reception, sponsored by time:matters, which was the perfect capstone to the first full day of conference at this year’s event.

Stronger logistics accelerate Mexico’s recovery

This session at Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Mexico focuses on how carmakers such as Volkswagen and logistics providers are improving logistics in Mexico to ensure the region remain a major competitive force in the North American and global industry.

Clean energy, flexibility, digital mindsets: conference day one in review at Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Mexico

Mexico’s recovery depends on stronger logistics and more coordinated government policy to support clean energy, infrastructure, trade and electrification. Editor-in-chief Christopher Ludwig assesses the significance after discussions with leaders from Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen, Audi, American Axle and more.

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.

Renault keeps an eye on the road ahead

Renault Group is transforming its supply chain with digital tools provided by Shippeo to gain greater visibility of parts location and predict where disruption could occur to avoid it.

Carmakers look to restructure European dealer network

Dealers will remain central to the way car manufacturers sell and distribute their vehicles though there may be fewer outlets. However, current difficulties in distribution mean the agency model, by which the OEM sells directly to the customer online for a fixed fee, is growing as an alternative to the normal way of doing business.

Shedding the legacy of short-term contracts

The critical shortage of capacity for finished vehicle deliveries in Europe is making carmakers reassess their short-term contract arrangements with outbound logistics providers. At this autumn’s annual conference of the Association of European Vehicle Logistics (ECG), Toyota and VW Group said the industry cannot survive without longer-term contracts and closer collaboration to improve outbound visibility.

A hire purpose for US automotive logistics

According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA) there was a record shortage of 80,000 freight drivers in the US last year, a deficit that could reach 160,000 by 2030. ATA has stated that the transport sector needs to recruit a million new drivers over the next decade.

Investing wisely in the supply chain’s digital opportunities

Nissan, Johnson Electric, RPM and Cargobase discuss IT and digital investment priorities for automotive logistics.

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.

Keeping the flow – ensuring tier one supply chain continuity in the era of disruption

Executives from major tier one suppliers and logistics providers reveal the flexibility and tools they have used to minimise downtime and delivery delays.

What resiliency in automotive logistics looks like

Learn for yourself whats logistics resiliency has required in the age of supply chain disruption in this panel discussion featuring with General Motors, automotive supplier IAC Group and major logistics providers DSV and Ceva Logistics

Never waste a good crisis – opportunities to improve supply chain resiliency

Greater supply chain control and visibility, along with prioritising resiliency and communication are among the key lessons for GM’s head of supply chain, and top executives from DB Schenker and Syncreon.

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.

Livestream: Covid’s capacity shortfall legacy

Automotive Logistics, in partnership with logistics provider RPM, recently published the findings of their second survey into the concerns of the global finished vehicle logistics sector. On the back of that, Nick Thompson, head of vehicle logistics for the North America region at carmaker Stellantis, and Bill Kerrigan, RPM’s chief business development officer, met to discuss the ongoing post-pandemic challenges to vehicle distribution and the closer working relationship carmakers now have with their logistics providers.

Heavy rains hit Toyota production in Japan

Vehicle output at Toyota’s plants around the Aichi Prefecture in Japan has been suspended because of flood damage caused by heavy rains in the area. However, the carmaker said it will reroute the semiconductors destined for those plants to others in Japan affected by the ongoing shortage in supply.

UK car output falls in H1 but EVs offer promise

Parts shortages and supply chain disruption are to blame for poor vehicle manufacturing results in the UK for the first half of 2022. At the same time, however, the production of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has increased to a record level, supported by investment in UK manufacturing worth £3.4 billion ($4.1 billion) between January and June.

Watch: Finished Vehicle Logistics survey results – what’s next for global outbound logistics?

In this Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain livestream, Stellantis’s head of vehicle logistics for North America, Nick Thompson, and RPM’s Bill Kerrigan discuss results, trends and actions from the second global Finished Vehicle Logistics global survey.

Collaboration at Newark keeps inbound parts flowing

Vehicle terminal operator FAPS is working with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to unload crated automotive parts from ro-ro vessels that are also delivering vehicles to Newark port.

Mercedes hampered by Q2 parts shortages

Supply chain disruption has hampered sales for Mercedes-Benz in the second quarter of this year, according to the carmaker’s most recent figures.

Crisis in Europe could breed greater cooperation in outbound logistics

As the European vehicle logistics body ECG celebrates 25 years, its president, Wolfgang Göbel, suggests that carmakers are more open to the idea of volume guarantees, while the European Commission (EC) is more supportive of harmonised truck lengths.

Jumping the chip queue

The ongoing shortage in the supply of semiconductors to the automotive industry has laid bare a disconnection between the automotive and semiconductor supply chains. What is needed to avoid future risk is greater coordination and transparency between the two sectors.

Watch FVL highlights: ETA, capacity, driver shortages and collaboration

Editor-in-Chief Christopher Ludwig summarises key takeaways from Finished Vehicle Logistics North America 2022, where vehicle ETA, capacity and costs were major concerns, but so were finding practical ways to work together.

Watch: The Great Finished Vehicle Logistics North America Quiz

The FVL gameshow is back and better than ever, featuring transport trivia, insights on vehicle logistics innovation and some royal knowledge to boot. Watch contestants battle it out from Nissan North America, Glovis America and Acertus.

Watch: How Toyota is delivering on demand and improving ETA

Predictable ETAs are a top priority at Toyota North America and other OEMs. The carmaker’s leaders in supply and demand, Kevin Austin, and vehicle logistics, Manny Bansi, detail Toyota’s ambitions, with insights from ETA experts at ICL and FreightVerify.

Watch: Outbound in torrid times

Eaton analyst Brandon Mason and RPM’s Sergio Gutierrez discuss how disruptions across the global supply chain are impacting vehicle logistics in North America.

Watch: Getting the network back in gear

Struggling from driver shortages and inconsistent rail service, the North American vehicle logistics industry needs investment in drivers and collaboration across modes, say executives from Ford, United Road and Kansas City Southern

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.

Watch: Shanghai rises again for Volkswagen’s supply chain

Despite Covid lockdowns and disruptions, SAIC Volkswagen remains a production powerhouse. In a wide-ranging video interview, executive director of logistics at the joint venture, Dr Susanne Lehmann, discusses managing scale with partners, digitalising logistics and creating more transparency across the supply chain.

Logistics in another dimension for SAIC VW in China

Last autumn Dr Susanne Lehmann joined Volkswagen Group’s joint venture with Chinese vehicle maker SAIC – SAIC VW – as executive director of logistics. She talks to Automotive Logistics about managing Covid lockdowns and supply chain disruption in China with new tools and closer supplier collaboration, and the fast pace of digitalisation

Floods hit auto production and supply in South Africa

South Africa’s automotive industry has been badly affected by heavy rains and disastrous flooding in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) region. Operations are expected be disrupted to some extent for the rest of this year, with Toyota’s plant in Prospecton badly hit.

Survey reveals labour a big concern for the finished vehicle sector

Labour shortages and the rising cost of employment are major concerns for providers of finished vehicle logistics services, according to the findings of a new quarterly survey from RPM and Automotive Logistics.

Car industry looks for more vertical integration to avoid risk

Carmakers and their suppliers have had two years full of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (Vuca) and are actively looking for new strategies to mitigate risk in the supply chain secure future production.

A time of risk and uncertainty for vehicle logistics in Europe

At this year’s General Assembly and Spring Congress for the Association for European Vehicle Logistics (ECG), members from the top outbound logistics providers and their OEM customers discussed the current disruption affecting the business and the creative solutions used to deal with it

Watch: Consolations for a container shipping crisis

Global port congestion, and unpredictable transit and lead times in container shipping have resulted in one of the most dismal and uncertain times for the maritime transport of goods, something that isn’t expected to improve until 2023. However, Philip Damas, managing director of Drewry Shipping Consultants advised delegates at ALSC 2022 about the mitigation strategies they could take in the interim

Watch: Lessons from a crisis – designing smarter automotive semiconductor and material supply chains

Leaders from SEMI Europe and CNW explore how OEMs, chipmakers and logistics providers are working together to mitigate semiconductor shortages.

Tesla delays production rebound in China

Tesla has delayed plans to return production at its plant in Shanghai, China to full capacity by at least a week, according to the Reuters news agency.

Watch: Just-in-time for a new era – can supply chains become more resilient and still stay lean?

Toyota’s Leon van der Merwe makes it clear that lean and just-in-time principles are as relevant for the OEM today as ever. But hear why for aspects of the approach are changing both for Toyota, 3PL Ceva and data systems expert E2Open.

Watch: Supply chain resilience – failure not an option

Supply chain experts from tier-1 suplier IAC, Kuehne+Nagel and time:matters talk about how logistics stakeholders should work together to ensure more predictive and responsive supply chains

Carmakers call for transparency in chip supply

The shortage of semiconductors has hit the automotive industry hard. As cars become more sophisticated, there is hardly any part of the vehicle, or the way that it is made, that does not rely on a microchip. Securing the supply of those chips has, therefore, become a key driver of operations.

Speed and standards are key to the automotive future

Things are changing fast in the automotive industry. The Covid pandemic set off a chain of disruptive events that forced many into crisis management they are still living. There have been more changes in the last two years than there probably have been in the previous 20.

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.

Vehicle export growth from China stalled by port congestion

Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (Caam) shows that between January to March this year total vehicle exports from China reached 582,000 units. This is an annual increase of 58.3% according to Caam, up from the 357,000 vehicles exported in the first quarter of 2021.

Critical port congestion in China threatens carmakers

China’s zero-Covid policy has led to a serious lockdown in Shanghai. Suppliers are unable to get key components out of the world’s busiest container port because stringent Covid-testing procedures have halted operations and there are currently record numbers of vessels waiting to dock.

Testing TPS resilience when dealing with disruption at Toyota

In the face of ongoing supply chain disruption, the Toyota Production System (TPS) is proving itself a reliable tool for building resiliency into the carmaker’s logistics.

China’s zero-Covid strategy hampers auto output in Shanghai

Vehicle output in China is being disrupted by the government’s introduction of a coronavirus lockdown in Shanghai, which is now in its second week and has forced automakers to cease operations.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a long-term risk for the automotive supply chain

The impacts stretch beyond inflation and corporate retreats to critical shortages upstream for semiconductor and EV supply.

Blog: Conflict in Ukraine disrupts auto supply in Europe and Russia

Read rolling updates on the developing situation in Ukraine, wider Europe and Russia as it impacts the global automotive supply chain

Trucker protest hits automotive shipments on US-Canada border

Last week’s driver protests on the US-Canadian border caused disruption to the movement of automotive parts and finished vehicles. As a consequence, some assembly plants in Canada and the US had to temporarily shutdown lines.