All Article articles – Page 215
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Article采访大众巴西公司的Sowade和Marques
工厂厂长Frank Sowade和工厂规划、基础设施与环境部门经理Almir Marques谈论大众在这个国家的持续发展JP：Anchieta是大众公司在德国以外的第一家工厂，建于1959年。这是不是意味着，那时大众就已经将南美视为潜在的新兴市场了呢？ Frank Sowade(FS): 当然了。在那之后我们（大众巴西；该OEM制造商已入驻阿根廷）又建了三家工厂：Taubaté 工厂监建于1973至1976年， São Carlos建于1996 年，最后一家工厂是São José dos Pinhais， 在Curitiba地区，建于1998 —自 1999年开始投产。所以我们现在有4家制造厂：三家制造汽车，一家制造动力系统。 JP：作为生产基地，Anchieta对大众公司的重要性在哪里？ FS: 这里是一切事业开始的起点，我们不仅生产汽车，而且还有社区。事实上，巴西整个汽车制造业都诞生于这个São Bernardo do Campo地区，所以我们业务和品牌的中心都在Anchieta工厂。 主要的汽车制造都来到这个地区。这不仅是大众创始的起点，而且也是斯堪尼亚、梅赛德斯-奔驰、福特、通用等许多汽车制造商的起点。这么做的一个理由就是，我们离港口很近。刚开始的时候，大多数汽车的零部件都是国外的—美国或是欧洲—而另一个原因就是这里人们的素质。工厂附近就好几个大学，都是非常棒的大学，这当然是汽车制造业需要的重要因素：素质极高的工程师和专业人才。“我认为巴西整个，不仅是汽车制造业，有许多功课要做，才能提高生产力，增强竞争力”——大众Anchieta厂长Frank SowadeJP：大众Anchieta在半个世纪前成立以来，已经完成升级。一个老厂子实现现代化是不是很困难；是不是得停产进行？ FS: 那真是个大挑战。我们有非常明确的目标，在提高生产或引进新产品时不影响生产。通常我们会利用年末的假期来进行大的修改或实施改动。为了这个，我们通常在圣诞节到元旦前夜有9至10天的假期。然而，我们计划的其他活动就得周末完成。但是我们非常喜欢通过长时间的停顿来引进新的产品。 在过去的几年内，我们采用非常灵活的生产过程。主要是在相同的平台生产，有时用另一个平台，但是随着引进每一个新的产品，我们的灵活性也在跟进，这使过程非常简便，而不用打断正在进行的生产。 JP：考虑到时间因素，是什么让大众确定Anchieta仍然适合制造过程？Almir Marques(AM): 我们有三个支柱来提高持续性。第一点就是，我们在革新和创新时，不需要作出很大改动就可以提高现有工艺，并能取得佳绩。第二点是，在每个新产品或工艺里，我们提高关注新项目所带来的收益。第三点是搞特殊项目，比如水力发电。我们能进行新工艺或产品的外围工作，达到性能指标。 JP：大众通过将Think Blue政策引进巴西取得了什么样的进步呢？ FS: 我觉得Think Blue这个名字多少有些陌生。这些年来在巴西，我们一直研究制定政府的规章。我记得当我们在São Carlos建厂时，没有人谈论ISO 14000。我们提出英国的标准，我们看中英国的标准是出于环境保护。而在我们早在Think Blue之前就形成了我们的理念。 Think Blue工厂在过去的两年所做的就是设定目标，降低主要的五种指标(能源，水，浪费，二氧化碳，化学溶剂)，尽管我们在这之前就已经涉及这些。这个是世界范围的标准化，从环境角度来说是一个强大的‘思想’。 AM： 这有关信息交换。我们采纳巴西或世界某一个工厂的解决方案，然后用到每一个工厂，以取得更好的成绩。我们主要利用两种工具。一个是模拟软件，能模仿每个工艺对这些指标的影响—能源，水等等—利用这些模拟，我们可以比较并选出更好的解决方案。另一个工具是模拟产品生命周期对我们产品的影响的软件，涉及从原材料到汽车使用结束的每一个环节。 JP：巴西Inovar Aotu规划对国内大众的运营有什么影响吗？ FS: Inovar Auto的目的非常明确。政府是想通过这个来鼓励人们在三个主要领域进行投资。第一是巴西的产品开发；第二是就是我们自己成为巴西产零部件或组件的最大买家，而不是依靠进口；第三就是我们发动机的有效性。这就是政府给我们定义的三个支柱；这样可以发展巴西的新技术，当然同时也会提高使用当地部件的比率。解释虽然很少，但是这就是我在Inovar Auto看到的情况。 “物流是巴西最大的问题。超过90%的货物都是靠货车运输；铁路的使用率非常低”—大众Anchieta厂长，Frank SowadeJP：南美的汽车制造目前面临的最大难题是什么？ ...
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ArticleInterview: Sowade and Marques, VW Brazil
Anchieta plant director Frank Sowade and Almir Marques, factory planning, infrastructure and environmental manager, discuss the continued development of VW’s pioneering plant in BrazilJP: Anchieta was the first Volkswagen plant outside Germany, established in 1959. Does this mean that back then VW had already recognised South America’s potential as an ...
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ArticleSkoda sets to work in summer break
Czech Republic – Between August 4-15, preparations will take place at Mladá Boleslav for the production launch of the new Skoda Fabia at the end of the month. The OEM says that “extensive” maintenance and modernisation projects will also be carried out at Kvasiny and Vrchlabí.At Mladá Boleslav, Skoda will ...
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ArticlePremier opens new engineering centre
UK – The £600,000 new building is part of a £3m investment by the Midlands-based company in staff, equipment and facilities over the past four years. The centre will enhance Premier’s capabilities in the production of metal components for cars, prototypes and niche vehicles.Over the past four years, Premier has ...
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Article€1.5bn to modernise Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen
Germany – Daimler’s investment to 2020 will involve an upgrade of facilities at the car plant near Stuttgart as well as the introduction of a new model. The announcement was made after Daimler reached a multi-year agreement with the Works Council on cost reductions.The main projects at the 99-year-old plant ...
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ArticleNissan’s global production up in June 2014
Japan – Output increased by 5.6% year-on-year to 441,719 units, a record for the month. Production outside Japan rose by 11.5% to 363,854 – another record. However, domestic production fell by 15.3% to 77,865 units.For the half-year, Nissan’s global production increased by 8.8% to 2,623,219 units. The record output for ...
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ArticleMazda reports production increase for June
Japan – The OEM’s domestic production for the month rose by 6.7% compared with the same period last year, while overseas output surged by 32% owing to growth in the passenger car segment. Mazda attributed the domestic increase to greater production of both passenger and commercial vehicles.In its home market, ...
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ArticleJaguar XE pushes aluminium to 75%
UK – The XJ, XK and F-Type were all developed using bonded and riveted aluminium structures, but the new model “far exceeds” any other car in its class, says the OEM. Its maker describes the XE as “a product of Jaguar’s world-leading expertise in high-volume production of aluminium vehicles”.The XE ...
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Article
Magna to expand Trnava Interiors Plant
Slovakia – The manufacturing facility will nearly double in size to more than 15,500 sq.m, supporting its production of interior components such as door panels, instrument panels and armrests for various global vehicle-makers.Ralf Link, general manager of Magna Interiors Trnava, said the expansion was “proof that we are delivering value ...
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Article
Warwick to host advanced propulsion centre
UK – The University has been selected as a central hub in a national structure intended to provide the UK automotive industry with the resources and facilities to develop advanced propulsion systems and supply chains. The project is one of £200m worth of commitments by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) ...
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ArticleBritish CV output down nearly a quarter in H1 2014
UK – The Society of Motor Manufacturers (SMMT) recorded a drop of 23% in the year-to-date figure, with 37,460 commercial vehicles (CVs) produced. The decrease in June was 25.4%, after only 6,348 units were made.In June, the biggest change was in production for export, which saw a decrease of 31.8% ...
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ArticleBritish car output rises by 3.5% in H1 2014
UK – The number of units produced increased to 791,314, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Output for June was 136,419 units, an increase of 3.7% compared with the same period the year before.The SMMT said the increase in volumes last month was driven ...
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ArticleCooper Standard unveils technical centre, Shanghai
China – The automotive component supplier’s Asia-Pacific headquarters will also relocate from Kunshan to the new site, which covers a total of 762 sq.m and accommodates a workforce of 55 personnel. The centre will provide local technical support with engineering and design capabilities. “The new facility expands Cooper Standard's technical ...
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ArticleBritain’s engine production stable in H1 2014
UK – The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) announced that output during the first half of the year remained steady, down by just 0.9% or 1.3m units. Volumes in June decreased by 0.4% or 224,792 units.The SMMT added that exports continued to improve both for June and the ...
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ArticleBASF opens new plant in Shanghai
China –The €50m ($62m) facility is located at a chemical industry park and adjacent to another new BASF resin and electrocoat plant which will start operations in the second half of 2015. The company says the close proximity of the two facilities will enable greater synergies and operational efficiency.“Our new ...
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ArticleAmbiente de trabalho de última geração
Desenvolvimentos ergonômicos no ambiente de trabalho de fabricação, estão permitindo melhorias de eficiência e produtividadeUma força de trabalho em envelhecimento, conjugada com a sempre presente necessidade de aumentar a eficiência e alcançar a meta milenar de se fazer mais com menos. Aumentando gamas de produtos e complexidade das peças e ...
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ArticleChina: Fornecedores de motorização continuam a expandir
A rápida expansão da produção de veículos na China tem sido acompanhada pelo crescimento paralelo das operações dos produtores de componentesFornecedores de componentes de motor receberam um impulso notável nos últimos tempos, com o estabelecimento na China pelas marcas premium de operações de produção de motores, juntamente com operações de ...
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ArticleHurren takes CV and business programmes role, Citroen
UK – In his new position as a manager at the Coventry head office, Adam Hurren will report to Jeremy Smith, head of Commercial Vehicles and Business Sector Programmes. His appointment takes place with immediate effect.Hurren has had an 11-year career with PSA Group, and in 2011 took the role ...
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Article
Renault and Fiat to collaborate on new LCV
France – Fiat will develop the styling of the light commercial vehicle (LCV), which will be supplied by Renault and based on one of the latter’s platforms. The model will feature “unique and distinctive elements” and be branded ‘Fiat Professional’.The vehicle will be manufactured by Renault in France from the ...
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ArticleLa próxima generación de entornos de trabajo
Los nuevos desarrollos en ergonomía en los entornos de trabajo están generando mejoras en la eficiencia y la productividad El envejecimiento de la fuerza laboral combinado con la necesidad de aumentar la eficiencia llevan al eterno objetivo de hacer más con menos. También son cruciales el aumento de los rangos ...