All Closures and consolidation articles – Page 4
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ArticleSmall steps – big gains
Mike Farish looks at how a leading tier supplier has implemented an IoT strategy to its manufacturing operationsWhat is the best way to implement an Industry 4.0 or Internet of Things (IoT) strategy – a single, intense company-wide campaign or a gradualist approach in which a series of small projects ...
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Article
An order for progress
After the dips in demand of recent years, car makers in Brazil and Argentina anticipate an upturn in market fortunes and a boost in vehicle productionEmbattled vehicle makers operating in Brazil are predicting a return to growth in 2017 after the market sunk last year to nearly half its 2012 ...
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Article
Suíte presidencial
Conforme Donald J Trump entra na Casa Branca, a Ford opta por fazer uma série de mudanças financeiras e estratégicas essenciaisAs coisas mudaram na Ford nos últimos tempos, tanto financeiramente como estrategicamente. E desde novembro de 2016, a sua estratégia mudou ainda mais, com uma série de decisões importantes tomando ...
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ArticleAn order for progress
After the dips in demand of recent years, car makers in Brazil and Argentina anticipate an upturn in market fortunes and a boost in vehicle productionEmbattled vehicle makers operating in Brazil are predicting a return to growth in 2017 after the market sunk last year to nearly half its 2012 ...
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Article
追随总统
随着唐纳德·特朗普入主白宫，福特公司已经决定制定一系列财务及战略改变最近，福特公司的天空风云突变，从财务上和战略上都经历了很大的变化。从2016年11月起，公司战略发生了深度变化，很多重要决定都蒙上了浓厚的政治色彩和语调，这在很大程度上都收到新任总统的影响。公司2016财政年度上，尽管处于长期亏损的欧洲地区破天荒地出现12亿美元的利润（营业额和销量都出现增长），但公司总体利润出现明显下滑。回头看美国老家，当选总统的特朗普（这要看读者的解读了）恰巧或自然地改变新投资的去向，从而影响整个北美制造的战略。 Flat Rock, Michigan, which currently makes the Mustang and Lincoln Continental, will expand to produce several of Ford’s planned range of electrified vehicles新的战略方向福特公司战略集中在3个目标上，即“强化（Fortify）”，“转变（Transform）”和“发展（Grow）”。“强化”的重点在于公司的核心支柱，就是美国的卡车和欧洲的厢型车销售，高价位高性能车辆销售上涨，而Ford Credit是利润的重要来源。事实上，公司的利润来自这两个领域。“转变”主要是两个产品领域和一个地区，也就是奢侈款和小型车辆，而且在新兴市场中的性能也有提高。最后是“增长”，基于3个核心新技术领域，即电气化、自动化和移动性。具体说，“强化”意味着要建立长期成熟的领导地位，福特公司以F系列皮卡车在美国受宠40年，同时现在在欧洲的厢型车市场中同样享受主导地位；这些地位加上几款电动车（以F-系列电动车和Trasit厢型车为首），公司的领导地位就得到加强；更重要的是，福特将提高SUV的销售，包括新款全铝Expedition和Navigator长款开车（投放美国市场），以及一些列小型汽车投放到北美和欧洲市场。此外，将来还会有12款新性能车辆，包括F-150 Raptor；同时到2020年会加大生产GT。福特公司计划中的“转变”因素着重提高在美国Lincoln系列产品的供应 — 以及销量，并促进Fiesta和EcoSport SUV在欧洲的销售，后者将很快在福特罗马尼亚工厂投入生产。此外，尽管福特减少在墨西哥的投资（Focus的生产仍然会转移到墨西哥，但在现有工厂生产，而不建设新工厂），但仍然继续生产计划，从印度向美国进口EcoSport小型SUV。这多少都引起了新人总统的注意。此外，福特从印度尼西亚市场和日本市场完全撤出，这样公司在东南亚国家联盟地区实现盈利，2016年第四季度盈利8,000万美元。此外，对印度的战略也在重新评估，而在中东地区部署分销渠道，福特在这里还是有发展的潜力的。 The Ohio Assembly plant received a $200m investment to build Super Duty chassis cabs然而，在动力系统电气化和自动化方面，以及最新移动方案方面，福特公司的未来需要肯定的答案，尤其是在北美和欧洲。将来会有13款新车推出，还有一系列EcoBoost混合动力汽车；同时在欧洲，公司要安装超快电动车充电网络，这可能要与其他汽车公司合作。公司将推出全自动汽车 — 符合Level 4的规定 — 在2021年以前在美国推出。这款车基于Ford Fusion混合动力车，在密歇根Flat Rock工厂生产，该厂获得7亿美元的投资，用于电池和混合动力技术的开发。这些改变 ...
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ArticlePresidential suite
As Donald Trump has entered the White House, Ford has elected to make a number of key financial and strategic changesThings have changed at Ford in recent times, both financially and strategically. And since November 2016, its strategy has changed still further, with a number of key decisions taking on ...
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ArticleBack on track
Automotive manufacturers operating in South-East Asia are seeing the gloom lift as the car market begins growing again after a troubling couple of yearsWith the exception of Thailand and, to a lesser extent, Indonesia, both of which build vehicles for export, local production in South-East Asia is mainly aimed at ...
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ArticleMetrology meets automation
Portable systems have made high-accuracy measurement possible across all plant areas – the next step in this evolution is the integration of metrology with automationIn years past, automotive manufacturers have been forced to choose between very different paradigms in the search to improve the quality, shorten design-to-launch times and better ...
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ArticleMetrology meets automation
Portable systems have made high-accuracy measurement possible across all plant areas – the next step in this evolution is the integration of metrology with automationFrom the progressive assembly line to lean manufacturing principles, the automotive industry has always led the way in manufacturing technology. As the industry faces ever shorter ...
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ArticleMade in India... for export
The country has emerged as a major market for the world’s car companies as well as a growing export hubSeveral car companies are expanding their Indian production capacity. The biggest, Maruti Suzuki, is in the midst of a $1 billion investment as part of its 'Vision 2.0' strategy which aims ...
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Article
Bearing in mind PTFE
There may be a tendency to pay little regard to the humble PTFE bearing but when it comes to assembly and performance this small component can make a big difference The hinges on doors, bonnets and other car-body closures seem at first to be among the most straightforward elements of ...
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ArticleBearing in mind PTFE
Little attention is paid to the humble PTFE bearing, but this small part can affect assembly and performanceThe hinges on doors, bonnets and other car-body closures seem at first to be among the most straightforward elements of the componentry on any vehicle. But, as is often the case, the appearance ...
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Article
Bearing in mind PTFE
The hinges that allow doors, bonnets and other closures on a car to open and close seem at first sight to be among the most straightforward elements of the componentry on any vehicle. But, as is often the case, the appearance of simplicity can disguise a surprising amount of technical ...
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ArticleCould Brexit mean business as usual?
As the UK's competing EU referendum campaigns gather speed, it is fascinating to ponder the impact a vote to leave would have on the automotive industry. About a year ago, I would have said that the so-called 'Brexit' would be unremittingly bad news for the UK's automotive manufacturing sector. Now, ...
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EU referendum
As the UK‘s EU referendum campaigns gather speed, I am frequently asked for my views on the impact of a vote to leave on the industry. A year or so ago, I would have said that leaving the EU would be unremittingly bad news for the UK auto industry. Now, ...
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ArticleGM Europe – better days ahead?
After enduring some difficult years, the vehicle-maker looks forward to stability and profitability in EuropeGM’s European operations have been loss-making for some time, but the signs are that it could be nearing its immediate target of breaking even, and possibly head into profit this year. The carmaker’s European operations remained ...
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ArticleDefender production ends at Solihull
To mark the occasion, Land Rover invited more than 700 current and former employees involved in the production of Series Land Rover and Defender vehicles to the Solihull plant, which was displaying important examples such as the first pre-production 'Huey' Series I and the last unit off the line, a ...
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ArticleAstra aspirations
Vauxhall's old Ellesmere Port plant has been revitalised by a £140m investment to make the newest modelOne of the oldest vehicle manufacturing plants in the UK, Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port factory in north-west England is undergoing a renaissance. Having been threatened with closure in the recent past – but surviving when ...
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Article
Ballantyne retires from Luxus
UK – As business development manager, Jim Ballantyne spent 15 years with the plastics compounder and recycler, including ten years bearing sole responsibility for this function before the sales team expanded. He joined Luxus from a plastics closure business.Ballantyne helped Luxus to enter a new phase, moving from the supply ...
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ArticleFord in focus
In the past year, Ford has concentrated on delivering its high-profile programme for an aluminium-bodied F-150 pick-up truck, but the OEM has also started reorganising its manufacturing footprint in North AmericaFord's ambitious programme to produce an aluminium version of its F-150 pick-up truck has not been without its problems and ...