Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automobilwoche
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Mexico
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • HOME
  • News
    • Photos
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • Sales By Market
    • Environment/Emissions
    • Latest Launches
    • Sales and Retail
    • Car Cutaways
    • On The Move
    • EU, Japan back automatic braking regulation
      German auto jobs at risk from hard Brexit
      Aston Martin to preview SUV for revived Lagonda nameplate at Geneva show
      How VW, Daimler, BMW, others are transforming into tech companies
    • Sweden's Veoneer forecasts flat sales in 2019
      Ionity boss has plan for stations across Europe; he just needs an EV boom
      Moscow's short-term car rental boom highlights threat to automakers from new players
      German auto jobs at risk from hard Brexit
    • Porsche, Alfa Romeo and Nissan take big hits as European sales fall 5% in January
      Russia sales rise nearly 1% in January despite VAT increase
      Audi, Fiat, BMW among losers as Spanish sales fall 8% in January
      Volvo, VW gain sales in UK market down nearly 2% in January as diesel plunge continues
    • Volvo blurs the wagon/SUV line with the V60 Cross Country
      view gallery
      7 photos
      New Range Rover Evoque designed for the 'urban jungle'
      Range Rover Evoque gets hybrid tech to cut emissions
      Tarraco gives Seat a flagship SUV to help retain wealthy buyers
    • Ferrari will unveil V-8 hybrid supercar this year
      Mercedes outsold Audi in China last month on sedan demand
      Tesla's Musk visits Norway to review delivery delays
      Europe's minicar segment to shrink as VW, PSA mull axing their smallest cars
    • Suppliers to the new Porsche Panamera
      Suppliers to the new Peugeot 5008
      Suppliers to the new Seat Ibiza
      Suppliers to the new VW Touareg
    • Daimler appoints Airbus exec as finance chief
      VW China CEO to join VW brand's management board
      Mini USA names marketing veteran McKenna head of product planning
      Dyson hires former Infiniti chief to head its electric-car business
    • Geneva Photo Gallery
    • Beijing Photo Gallery
    • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
    • Paris Photo Gallery
    • Shanghai Photo Gallery
  • Auto Shows
    • Geneva Auto Show
    • Frankfurt Auto Show
    • Paris Auto Show
    • Beijing Auto Show
    • Shanghai Auto Show
    • China EV startup Aiways will launch SUV in Europe
      Bentley revs up Bentayga with Speed variant
      Skoda will debut first EV at Geneva show
      VW Passat gets cleaner diesel, partial autonomy
    • Bugatti considers four-door model for 2024
      Frankfurt photo booth
      Frankfurt's best and wurst
      Merkel says German car industry must work to rebuild trust
    • Vietnam's first automaker now has names for first sedan, SUV
      China's GAC likely to debut in Europe with an EV
      Bugatti mulls SUV as part of broader model range
      Ferrari Monza supercars will earn $755 million in revenue
    • VW will launch SOL EV brand in China with subcompact crossover
      view gallery
      9 photos
      BMW will export iX3 electric SUV to Europe, U.S. from China
      view gallery
      9 photos
      BMW's iX3 concept heralds electric expansion
      view gallery
      15 photos
      Mercedes-Maybach is betting on a hybrid SUV-sedan look
    • view gallery
      7 photos
      Jeep finds green groove with plug-in hybrid SUV concept
      Foreign automakers embrace China as EV development hub
      China lands Chevy Volt in a Buick wrapper
      Ferrari, Aston Martin, Maserati sales soar in China as rich snub austerity push
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Luca Ciferri
    • Douglas A. Bolduc
    • Paul McVeigh
    • Ford's 'redesign' for Europe emphasizes SUVs, LCVs
      Russia's Google, Yandex, impresses with its self-driving tech
      Renault Twizy gets new life in Korea as motorcycle replacement
      Why the car is no longer the ticket to freedom
    • Ford's 'redesign' for Europe emphasizes SUVs, LCVs
      Russia's Google, Yandex, impresses with its self-driving tech
      Renault Twizy gets new life in Korea as motorcycle replacement
      Why the car is no longer the ticket to freedom
    • Ford's 'redesign' for Europe emphasizes SUVs, LCVs
      Russia's Google, Yandex, impresses with its self-driving tech
      Renault Twizy gets new life in Korea as motorcycle replacement
      Why the car is no longer the ticket to freedom
    • Ford's 'redesign' for Europe emphasizes SUVs, LCVs
      Russia's Google, Yandex, impresses with its self-driving tech
      Renault Twizy gets new life in Korea as motorcycle replacement
      Why the car is no longer the ticket to freedom
  • Maps
    • E-Car & Component Map of Europe
    • Powertrain Map of Europe
    • Assembly Plant Map of Europe
  • Supplements
    • Connected Car
    • Talk From The Top
    • BMW 100
    • Car Cutaways
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Automotive News Europe Congress
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
  • E-MAGAZINE
    • Read the latest issue
    • Download the app
    • Subscribe
  • More
    • E-Magazine
    • Contact Us
    • 2019 Media Kit
    • About Us
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Automotive News Europe
August 30, 1999 01:00 AM

FORD TO COMBINE LOGISTICS WITH VOLVO, JAGUAR, MAZDA

Ian Morton
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    COLOGNE - Ford of Europe is mounting a major reassessment of its logistics and parts supply operation at three key plants. It is also moving to integrate logistics with Volvo, Jaguar and Mazda.

    Suppliers will be closely involved in the quest for new efficiencies at Ford's plants in Cologne, Germany, Genk, Belgium, and Dagenham, England.

    The three factories will benefit from many of the techniques developed for Focus manufacture at Ford's other plants in Saarlouis, Germany, and Valencia, Spain.

    'We have to look at total Ford family movements within Europe,' said Peter Heller, Ford of Europe's director of manufacturing.

    'We have delivery harbors in Germany and receiving harbors in Belgium. There seems to be room to improve, perhaps with one big harbor.

    'Volvo is the biggest opportunity. The integration of Volvo within Ford has accelerated the business of finding synergies and benefits. The distance between NedCar (the plant in Born, the Netherlands, which makes the Volvo S40/V40) and Genk is only just over 30km.

    'Obviously, Volvo is working on its own industrial program. But we are talking to them, and there is potential for sharing fixed costs. I believe we have still not explored everything.'

    Among Ford brands in Europe, only low-volume Aston Martin is excluded from the logistics integration.

    Ford's modern logistics processes were first introduced at Genk for Mondeo production - although the new initiative will see logistics at Genk modernized further. The company built its first supplier park at Genk after persuading suppliers that the logistics of on-the-spot production made more sense than investment far away in a low-cost country.

    'For Ford, the advantages included not only just-in-time deliveries but also quality control and swift response to any problems,' said Heller. 'It was also our experience that engineering quality and cost improvement were both easier with direct access to the supplier base.'

    Ford took a further step forward at Valencia, where the supplier park was linked by bridge-borne conveyor with the Ka production line. A similar facility is now being built to link the Genk supplier park and Mondeo line.

    Heller said Saarlouis represents current best practice. 'Whenever we launch a new model, that is the best time to talk to suppliers and develop a strategy,' he said. 'As new models are introduced at Cologne and Dagenham, inbound logistics at those plants will be revised. We will always try to include the Saarlouis conveyor system.' (See story below.)

    Ford is talking to Volvo, Jaguar and Mazda Motor Europe in a quest for synergies that will include inbound and outbound logistics, Heller said.

    'This is a matter of great significance to Ford,' he said. 'Finding all the synergies and benefits is already an ongoing program, and obviously we are still learning. At this stage, it is difficult to say what scope we have. We have not yet explored enough of these synergies.

    'There are no targets, percentages or time scales, but there is big potential. We have some contractual liabilities, and full implementation of a new logistics program could not happen before the end of next year. For example, we have Ford-owned trucks delivering between plants, but all other movement is bought in.'

    Monthly E-Magazine
    Thumbnail
    View latest issue
    See our archive
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News Europe delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Automotive News Europe Monthly E-Magazine

    Sign up to receive your free link to each monthly issue of Automotive News Europe as soon as it's published.

    GET THE E-MAGAZINE
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI  48207-2997
    Tel: +1 877-812-1584


    Email Us

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • 2019 Media Kit
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Awards
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    Copyright © 1996-2019. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • News
      • Photos
        • Geneva Photo Gallery
        • Beijing Photo Gallery
        • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
        • Paris Photo Gallery
        • Shanghai Photo Gallery
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • Sales By Market
      • Environment/Emissions
      • Latest Launches
      • Sales and Retail
      • Car Cutaways
      • On The Move
    • Auto Shows
      • Geneva Auto Show
      • Frankfurt Auto Show
      • Paris Auto Show
      • Beijing Auto Show
      • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
      • Luca Ciferri
      • Douglas A. Bolduc
      • Paul McVeigh
    • Maps
      • E-Car & Component Map of Europe
      • Powertrain Map of Europe
      • Assembly Plant Map of Europe
    • Supplements
      • Connected Car
      • Talk From The Top
      • BMW 100
      • Car Cutaways
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • Automotive News Europe Congress
      • Rising Stars
      • Eurostars
      • Leading Women
    • E-MAGAZINE
      • Read the latest issue
      • Download the app
      • Subscribe
    • More
      • E-Magazine
      • Contact Us
      • 2019 Media Kit
      • About Us