Latest News & Features – Page 179
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ArticleT Sarangarajan, Hyundai Chennai
The vice-president – Production discusses operations at the OEM's very modern plant at Chennai, where the bodyshop is almost fully automated and there is an in-house aluminium casting capabilityAMS: Could you tell us about the aluminium casting facility at this site?T Sarangarajan (TS): It is a very clean operation, perhaps ...
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ArticleBMW sees into the future
Google Glass is among the smart technologies the OEM is exploring to boost production efficiencyThe fourth industrial revolution is upon us. At least that’s what the German government believed when it coined the term 'Industry 4.0' to refer not just to increased industrial automation, but also cyber-physical systems, the Internet ...
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ArticleFirst CLA Shooting Brake made at Kecskemét
Hungary – Less than three years after its opening, the youngest Mercedes-Benz plant has officially commenced production of the second model to be exclusively made there, after the CLA. The B-Class is also produced at Kecskemét, and the total output for the existing two models was 150,000 in 2014.Following an ...
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ArticleAndreas Lauenroth, VW India
The executive director – technical, VW India, discusses manufacturing operations at the OEM's Chakan Plant, including possibilities for expansionAMS: Which models are you currently producing here?Andreas Lauenroth (AL): At present it’s [VW] Polo, Vento and [Skoda] Rapid. We were producing the Fabia but that was removed from the market last ...
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ArticlePark to lead Hankook’s British operations
UK – As managing director of Hankook Tyre UK, based in Daventry, Jong Jin Park will be in charge of the company’s second-largest entity in Europe. He replaces Gaugseung Lee, who has now assumed the position of vice-president of marketing and sales at the European headquarters.Park has over 10 years’ ...
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ArticleNemak expands for export to Shangahi
Canada – With C$1.5m (US$1.3m) from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, the company is upgrading its production line to increase the volume of aluminium engine blocks it delivers to Shanghai General Motors in China. The expansion will create 80 new jobs over the next four years, while retaining almost 200. ...
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ArticleEvolution assists tooling relocation
UK – The specialist logistics company, which has British and German locations, recently delivered body panel press tooling to the UK from China by air, cutting the transport time by three weeks compared with sea freight and eliminating any risk of delay to a vehicle launch.“This project has been a ...
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ArticleMulti-model management
The senior GM – Manufacturing at Chakan Plant discusses the challenges of producing a diverse range of vehicles at a single location, plus plans for expansionAMS: Can you provide some background on Chakan Plant?Sairan Vedapudi (SV): We acquired this site in 2007, and although at that time the economic conditions ...
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ArticleTom Chackalackal, Ford India
The vice-president for Manufacturing discusses operations at Chennai, which was the pioneer plant for the OEM's three-wet, high-solids paint processAMS: With the start of production of the EcoSport last year, it was reported that capacity here would be increased to 200,000 units per annum. Has this happened?Tom Chackalackal (TC): The ...
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ArticleElio Motors pioneers new engine
US – Claiming to be the first new vehicle manufacturer to develop its own combustion engine since Nash Motors in 1951, next month the American company will debut a 0.9-litre, three-cylinder prototype at the premises of its partner, engine developer IAV. The power unit is intended for use in a ...
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ArticleKia hits new European production record
Slovakia – The OEM’s factory at Žilina made 323,000 cars and 493,000 engines in 2014, a 3% increase in vehicle output and a small rise in engines that also represented a new record. The biggest markets for Žilina’s product remained Russia (18%), the UK (13%), Germany (9%), Italy (6%) and ...
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ArticleInterview: Colin Lawther, Nissan
The OEM's head of Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management and Purchasing in Europe denies rumours of outsourcing at its underutilised EV battery plant in Sunderland; Nissan's destiny remains in its own handsNick Gibbs (NG): Will you localise suppliers for the batteries?Colin Lawther (CL): No. The [Japanese] production facility for the electrodes ...
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ArticleProduction extended for VW Caddy Black
UK – The limited edition for the UK market, which has been on sale since October 2014, will now continue to be made until March 31, 2015, due to popular demand, says Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.Based on the Highline specification, the Caddy Black features additional equipment and comes only in short-wheelbase ...
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ArticleNissan takes charge
AMS toured the secret and super-clean facility in Sunderland where the OEM makes batteries for its EVs “I used to work in the paintshop. That was clean, but nothing on the scale of this”– Jim Wilkinson, NissanNissan’s battery plant in Sunderland, north-east England, is unlike other automotive facilities. Parts of ...
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ArticleCalsonic opens fourth site in Sunderland
UK – Costing £800,000 ($1.2m), the 100,000 sq.ft warehouse at Doxford International Technology Park brings the part manufacturer’s total floorspace in the city to over 500,000 sq.ft.“The opening of our warehousing building is an important move for us… it means that we are in-sourcing warehousing for the first time,” said ...
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ArticleNew entity AGCO-RM for farm vehicle production
Russia – The joint venture between Russian Machines, a subsidiary of the Basic Element industrial group, and AGCO, a manufacturer of agricultural equipment, will enable both companies to strengthen their presence in the Russian market.With the main objective of achieving a leadership position, the JV will localise production and adopt ...
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ArticleAnders Grundströmer, Scania India
The managing director of Scania India came to the country on February 1 last year to oversee the final construction of Scania's greenfield factory near Bangalore, and the start of production for trucks and buses Nick Gibbs (NG): Are you optimistic about the Indian truck market?Anders Grundströmer (AG): The all-time ...
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ArticlePeng to lead Aston Martin’s Chinese arm
China – Moving from Porsche China, where he served for six years as director of sales and most recently director of PR and press, Michael Peng will assume operational responsibility for all aspects of business at Aston Martin Lagonda China.Peng has 22 years of automotive industry experience, beginning with management ...
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ArticleReturn of India's trucks
After a period of falling sales and reduced production, India’s commercial vehicle market is now on the rise The commercial vehicle (CV) market in India had slumped so badly in the last couple of years, it prompted local maker Ashkok-Leyland to kick off its 2013/2014 financial report with this quote ...
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ArticleSKYACTIV-Drive now made at Chonburi
Thailand – The automatic transmission is now being mass-produced at the newly established Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing Thailand (MPMT), which has an annual capacity of 400,000 units. Together, MPMT and Hofu Plant in Japan will provide Mazda with a global capacity of 1,540,000 units.“We’ve made great efforts to ensure the manufacture ...