All Africa and Middle East articles – Page 19
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ArticleYour flexible friends in machining
Age of the robotHigh fiveMachine tool investment for producing automotive components is seeing new vigour, as demonstrated by a stream of investment announcements over the past six months by major auto OEMS. Chrysler Group, for example, has pledged to invest $72m in its Toledo machining plant at Perrysburg, Ohio to ...
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ArticleFiat heading for a cleaner horizon
Sharing best practice in Group manufacturingEnvironmental management system certificationVolatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)Addressing water scarcityWater withdrawal and rainwater harvestingWaste managementEquipment containing PCB and PCTWith multiple production plants in Europe and the Americas, and with joint venture facilities in Russia and China due to come on line later this year, Fiat Group’s ...
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ArticleDemand down under
ToyotaGeneral Motors HoldenFordWhat lies ahead?More or less untouched by the global financial crisis, the Australian economy continues to power on – its new vehicle market touching near record highs in 2011. But might there be clouds on the horizon for the three local manufacturers?Like other medium and indeed large economies ...
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ArticleMade in the South
Pleased to meet youWeld typesPlanning for C-ClassTail light preparationA tour of the bodyshop at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which review the technologies that have been added for production of the new M-Class SUV.In 1997, the M-Class SUV was the first model to enter production at the $400m Mercedes-Benz ...
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ArticleGlobal heavyweight challenges
European confidence and global growthAshok Leyland - A new approachCaterpillar – Asian expansionDaimler - Demand creating jobsVolvo - Shifting up a gear in BrazilGreen giantsFuel from wasteSmith Electric - Building in the BronxOEM truck manufacturers around the world are ramping up output in order to meet increasing demand, but this ...
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Byung-Tae (Brandon) Yea takes the president post at Kia
Zilina, Slovakia – Kia has announced the appointment of Byung-Tae (Brandon) Yea to the position of President of Kia Motors Europe. He succeeds Sun-Young Kim, who after five years as head of Kia Motors Europe is to be reposted to the company’s Seoul headquarters.Yea, 53, was most recently president of ...
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ArticleThe power of nature
Glenn Brooks examines developments in alternative power generation at vehicle and powertrain production plants in Europe, the US and Brazil, as well as a particularly innovative facility currently under construction in North AfricaToyota's UK 'eco-friendly'The world's largest solar roofSolar power for Chevrolet Volt plantVolkswagen's hydropower initiativeZero-emissions car plantZero discharge, zero ...
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ArticleHow to make it in America
Executives at three transplant OEM production sites in the United States discuss how their respective operations are developing and what challenges had to be overcome in order to achieve success in manufacturingClose relationshipsBenchmarking worksPeople powerProcess leadershipDecoupled shiftsDifferent future pathsNo restIn 1966, Nissan was the first transplant carmaker to set up ...
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ArticleFord's Experiment Day at major paintshop supplier
Geico holds tailored Experiment Days for its existing and future customers at its PARDIS Innovation Center; AMS was invited to join a deputation of senior managers from Ford’s global paintshop teamTaking the lion's share of energyFord friends and global partnershipsProcurement and quality managementInnovation in motionIn October 2009, Geico opened the ...
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ArticleChevrolet comes of age
In October this year, General Motors will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Chevrolet. Wayne Brannon, President of Chevrolet Europe, explains how the brand plans to increase its presence in the region, and looks at the future of Opel and VauxhallFuture analysis: Opel and VauxhallAfter a period of upheaval for General ...
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ArticleGroup dynamics at VW
In an exclusive interview for AMS, Dr Andreas Tostmann, CEO of Volkswagen Slovakia, covers SUV and upcoming small car production at the plant. Plus a report on Audi Q3 production in Martorell, SpainProduction in SlovakiaVehicle and component productionVolkswagon Group global productionAudi Q3 starts volume productionWith almost one in four passenger ...
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ArticleThe manufacturing environment; manikin to man-machine
Virtual task modelling is helping experts to factor in the limitations of the human body in order to reduce the chance of repetitive strain injuries, while also improving production efficiencies across manufacturing plantsHappy seat, happy employeesThe virtues of the virtual workstationHuman Task SimulationHuman Activity AnalysisHuman Posture AnalysisAutomated replenishmentTracked, prioritized - ...
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ArticleThe Chinese market starts to mature
Rationalising the manufacturing baseElectric DreamsMercedes-Benz plans rapid -ramp-upIn preparation for the second AMS China conference, to be held June 28 – 30 at the Intercontinental Shanghai Pudong hotel, AMS recently visited several carmakers and suppliers in China. Some interesting themes emerged from the meetings and plant visits, both in manufacturing ...
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ArticleDetroit of the East
GM’s Martin Apfel and Ford’s Joe Hinrichs describe how these two global giants are moving forward with plans to turn Thailand into a regional manufacturing hubChanging relationshipsSustained growthSupplier catch upConfidence is infectiousStar in ascendanceThe sign above the entrance to the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate in Rayong, Thailand, proclaims it to ...
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ArticleSolid benefits of fluid management
Growing adoption ratesReview nowTougher metals and more advanced and severe metalworking processes, along with the ongoing drive to increase productivity and reduce costs, have seen cutting fluids rise up the agenda at automotive machine shops.Where a neat or aqueous (soluble/water miscible) cutting fluid is selected, it is crucial to monitor ...
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Burela will lead the Changan Ford Mazda Automobile
Shanghai, China – Ford has released details covering personnel changes at its Asia Pacific and Africa operations.Jeffrey Shen, President of Changan Ford Mazda Automobile, has announced he will retire. He will be replaced by Marin Burela, who will continue the joint-venture’s expansion in China, which includes construction of its third ...
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ArticleLight steel in motion
As crash legislation tightens and the drive for lower-mass body structures continues to grow, so steel producers are rising to the challenge Coating for successTailored solutions for better crashabilitySpringback and part geometryUsibor highlightsThe business aspectMarket mattersArcelorMittal’s S-in motion project was first rolled out to customers in November 2010, an ‘intensive’ ...
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ArticleRamping up quality
Getting back to qualityEfficiency on the lineGood ideasPress shopBodyshopPaintFinal assemblyFinished vehicle quality on the Mercedes- Benz E-Class in StuttgartThe three points of the Mercedes ‘star’ logo celebrate Gottlieb Daimler’s original ambition of seeing his engines used on land, sea and in the air. For a short while at least, he ...
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Ford makes changes to its executive team
Shanghai, China – Joe Hinrichs, Ford Group Vice- President and President Asia Pacific and Africa region has announced changes to the group’s executive team.Randy Krieger has been appointed President of Ford Group Philippines, replacing Rick Baker. Krieger, formerly president of Ford Japan, has been replaced by Tim Tucker, formerly vice-president ...
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ArticleReality meets potential
GM production set-upModulesGoing globalRapid responseImplementing efficienciesEngine and chassis productionBrazilian manufacturing chiefs from GM, PSA and Daimler reveal the key factors supporting record production figures - and whether those numbers are sustainableThe retail prices of new cars in Brazil have, like a lot of other products, been on the increase. But ...