Europe – Page 34
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ArticlePSA – setting a new pace with Opel
Having bought the perennial loss-making Opel-Vauxhall operations from GM last year, PSA has lost no time in starting with the turnaround required. And the early signs are that it has already had a notable impact, something which may surprise many, myself included. When the acquisition was announced in early 2017, ...
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ArticleCentre of operations
Investment in new plants and expansion of existing facilities shows central Europe to be at the heart of vehicle manufacturers’ regional strategiesAt first glance, vehicle production in central Europe – essentially the former communist bloc countries west of the Russian border – appears to centre on Volkswagen with its Skoda ...
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ArticleThe man who saved Fiat and Chrysler
Sergio Marchionne was a remarkable man. He dominated the auto industry’s headlines and news agenda and his passing robs the industry of one of its few star namesIn an age when be-suited corporate types still bestride many auto sector boardrooms, Marchionne’s casual dress sense (sweater and no tie were de ...
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ArticleContinental builds facility in Kaunas
Lithuania - The supplier has recently celebrated the groundbreaking at its first plant in Lithuania, where it plans to make electronic components such as seat control units and radars for the European automotive market. Work is scheduled to finish in 2019, with operation slated for the second half of the ...
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ArticleSchuler acquires press manufacturer
Italy - The forming technology specialist Schuler has acquired Farina Presse - an Italian manufacturer of presses and forging lines. Schuler believes that the move will help it to cement its position in the automotive industry."By acquiring Farina Presse, we have taken a further successful step in our product strategy ...
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ArticleBMW splashes on new plant
Hungary - The german carmaker has announced it will build an assembly plant in Hungary next year, near the town of Debrecen in the east of the country. Debrecen was selected because of the advantages it offered in terms of infrastructure, logistics connections and proximity to the supplier network. BMW ...
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ArticleCSP invests in sheet molding
France - Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) has announced that it will install a new sheet molding compound (SMC) line at its facility in Pouance. Costing a total of €5.1m (US$6m), the line will allow the supplier to expand its range of advanced composite products made with both glass and carbon ...
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ArticleTravel blog: The American dream
Everything in the US has a reputation for being big. The cities, the cars, even the food - it's all supersized in comparison to anything we have in Europe. So when obtaining content for our upcoming North American supplement, I decided to follow suit and go big by organising a ...
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ArticleSEAT starts assembling Arona and Leon
Algeria - The Spanish OEM has started building the two models in the city of Relizane, Algeria, at a plant owned by the Volkswagen Group and Sovac. It already assembles the Ibiza here, but as SEAT vice president for marketing and sales Wayne Griffiths explained, localising Arona and Leon assembly ...
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ArticleMotoring on
Mike Farish reports on the development and manufacture of an innovative electric motorThe rise of electric vehicles and the need for new, efficient powertrain technologies has provided smaller companies with the opportunity to establish themselves as major players – particularly as component or sub-system suppliers – if they can offer ...
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ArticleSteel makes a strong case
With the push for powertrain electrification gaining strength producers of high-strength steel are preparing themselves to capitalise reports James Bakewell In 2017, global sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) reached 1.3m units, according to Frédéric Painchault, head of Global Automotive Marketing at steelmaker ...
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ArticlePSA and Nissan exploring new ground
An interesting news report caught my eye recently; the article suggested that PSA – whose Chinese plants are operating well below capacity – will lease one of its factories in China to Nissan later this summer. The report suggested that the factory and its workforce will move to Nissan in ...
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ArticleJack of all trades
Ford Otosan’s Inönü plant houses an unusual production mix, and is taking on more projects. Michael Nash investigatesInönü is a small, sleepy town in north-west Turkey. The nearest city, Eskisehir, is a 40-minute drive away and is populated by young students who attend its two universities. Aside from an array ...
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ArticleCollective thinking
Closer collaboration between product development and production teams could lead to significant improvements in vehicle manufacturing processes. Ford Otosan holds a unique position. Michael Nash reports The scenery in Turkey is full of surprises. A quick car journey can lead to towering mountains, pristine beaches and lush forests, while historical ...
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ArticleForging a future in Factory 56
New car manufacturing facilities will need to be highly flexible as the trends of vehicle electrification and autonomous driving continue to evolve. Mercedes-Benz futuristic ‘Factory 56’ paves a new path.
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ArticleInterview with Oliver Blume, Porsche
The premium OEM’s global head of Production and Logistics talks about its recent expansion in Leipzig for the addition of the new Macan SUV.