Will Logistics Considerations Limit Global Sourcing of Parts?

LONDON, July 14 -- Leading automotive executives like Dr Karl May, Vice President of Logistics Planning and Transport Logistics at BMW are predicting that logistics considerations are going to seriously limit the global sourcing of parts.

With more and more North American OEMs and carmakers starting to source from China, quality issues could become the least of their worries. The North American automotive industry is undergoing considerable upheaval at the moment and Tier Ones and logistics companies are feeling the repercussions. In addition to plant closures (and openings), the flow of material into the US from Asia, and China in particular, is increasing, and carmakers and LSPs are struggling for capacity at ports, on the roads and the railways. Can carmakers afford to compete for space with Wal-Mart?

At Automotive Logistics Global, the forum for senior automotive executives which takes place annually in Detroit (Michigan), delegates will try to find solutions and derive strategies to address these challenges within the North American market.

The event has grown and developed into the exclusive business meeting for global automotive logistics executives. Automotive Logistics Global is regarded by many industry players as a genuine business meeting where, most importantly, new relationships are fostered and information is exchanged.

The speaker list reads like a Who's Who in automotive logistics and includes:

    
    Charlie Hyndman, GM SPO 
    Tom McMillen, General Motors
    Peter Weiss, DaimlerChrysler
    Deb Schroeder, Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing North America
    Tony Minyon, Toyota Motor Sales, USA 
    Frederiek Toney, Ford 
    Jim Terry, DaimlerChrysler
    Harry Chase, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama
    Scott Jeffe, Volkswagen of America
    Michael Silvio, Cooper-Standard Automotive
    Bob Edge, ZF Industries
    Emmanuel Boudon, HBPO North America
    Julie Krehbiel, Union Pacific Railroad

The conference is supported by Ryder as premier sponsor, Midwest Express Group, i2 and Panalpina as gold sponsors and NYK Logistics, Tenmark, Union Pacific Distribution Services and UPS as silver sponsors.

Contact person: Jeanine Leuckel, Marketing Manager, Ultima Media Ltd, +44-208-987-0967, E: jeanine.leuckel@ultimamedia.org