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APL Wins Major Logistics Contract for General Motors in Thailand

4 August 1998

APL Wins Major Logistics Contract for General Motors in Thailand

    OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 3 -- Reflecting a long-term focus on
Asia's economic recovery, General Motors is establishing a major regional
manufacturing center in Thailand.  And APL, with more than 130 years of
transportation and logistics experience in the Asian marketplace, will manage
a complex international supply chain for the new auto plant.
    GM's initial plans are to produce approximately 40,000 vehicles annually
at the new site, which is located 150 kilometers south of central Bangkok.
Parts for this assembly line will be sourced globally, including strong local
sourcing initiatives in Thailand and other Asian countries.
    APL, as the lead logistics provider, will design optimized transportation
routes through the use of lean materials management concepts. APL will also
monitor the performance of transportation vendors, the planning and load
sequencing of containerized shipments, detailed shipment tracking, customs
clearance and drayage to and from the plant. NBC Container Depot Co., Ltd., an
APL affiliate in the NOL Group, will perform brokerage activities within
Thailand and will operate a round-the-clock trucking service within Thailand
to shuttle just-in-time parts to the plant.
    Richard Gurr, director of production control and logistics for
GM-Thailand, said:  "GM has built a state-of-the-art facility in Thailand and
will use the latest production and leading-edge lean logistics processes to
produce our exciting new product.  We are pleased to have APL, with its
logistics experience and track record, as a key partner in this venture."
    Mitsuko (Mich) Mizushima, APL vice president, logistics services, said:
"This major contract combines APL's logistics planning and contract logistics
expertise with our long history of innovation in delivering local
transportation solutions in Asia for our customers.  We can provide both the
`brains' and `brawn' to manage a precise just-in-time logistics system in
challenging operating environments."  Mizushima added that APL's 14 years of
experience providing supply chain services tailored to the automotive industry
was a key factor in winning this contract.
    APL provides worldwide container transportation and logistics services
through an integrated network combining high-quality intermodal operations
with state-of-the-art information technology. APL is the container arm of
Neptune Orient Lines Ltd. (NOL Group), a global transportation company engaged
in shipping and other related businesses.