AUTOMOTIVE\\\


Time is money for Evolution Time Critical customers


Urgent freight specialist Evolution Time Critical (ETC) does a lot of work in the automotive industry where time really is money. The cost of having a car production line shut down for just an hour is eye-watering, so having suppliers that do what they say they’re going to do and who keep everyone abreast of developments as they happen is essential. Managing


director Graham


Little says that the possibilities of new technology don’t stop with the vehicle booking process: “There’s tech that can track a vehicle to within three metres, or can even tell the driver which deck of a multi-storey facility to go to.” The availability of fast transport


has also allowed the car industry to make its operations leaner than ever before. It has been able to slim down buff er stocks, knowing that


companies like ETC can


off er a rapid response service to allow them to catch up if standard arrangements don’t work out as planned. Rather than fast transport being the driving factor of the car industry being able to slim down stock, it’s more a solution that’s


been developed to meet the need of the car industry having taken the decision to operate in a leaner way, says Little. There are also customers that


use ETC in cases of emergency when unexpected events occur. At the time of writing, ETC was


helping its customers in the car industry and others cope with the eff ects of the Corona Virus in China, Italy and elsewhere. It has been able to fi nd inland transport within China to connect with international fl ights, for example, making alternative arrangements where necessary. In late February, one of the


biggest eff ects of the outbreak in China was on internal transport, as key areas of the country were shut down. However, it was possible that as the country’s product stepped up again aſt er the prolonged shut- down, shortages of air capacity could emerge, especially as many airlines have cancelled scheduled fl ights and container shipping has also been badly disrupted. Modern technology has


allowed business does respond to crises and unexpected events


windscreen maker


Europa off ers clear vision for


Europa Road works with


a number of prestigious automotive brands – indeed, 5% of the groupage operator’s inbound road freight comes under the automotive supply category, either destined for production or aſt ermarket supply, explains Europa Worldwide Group sales and branch network director, Dionne Redpath. It provides a number of


services across the divisions – including picking and packing product before it reaches a supplier, and transport from supplier to assembly/ manufacturing site – alongside its advanced transport operation. Redpath adds: “A current client


taking advantage of our services is a windscreen company, which requires an extra level of care to be taken when handling its product. Aſt er receiving container loads from Asia, Europa Road carry out picking and packing, before transporting the product to our client’s site. As with all operations, specifi c


protocols are in place to ensure products are carefully handled and arrive to the client in perfect condition.” Europa benefi ts from having


a team of trained warehouse operatives, she says: “The team work with a high level of caution when handling all products, especially those more likely to be damaged. The team perform all required checks and cleaning protocols on each product before carefully loading them into a stillage box and onto a trailer. For this particular client we have a total of two or three deliveries a day. This is a great example of a cross-divisional operation – the supply chain being managed by the Road, Warehouse and Air/Sea divisions.” She says that working


in


automotive logistics means having to adhere to extremely tight deadlines and there is a high requirement for item level tracking and reporting, as well as exceptionally high expectations and performance metrics.


much more eff ectively than it did a decade ago. Shortages that occurred during the Fukushima nuclear emergency in 2011 have been mitigated because car manufacturers have studied their supply chains and know a lot more about where their supplies are coming from, and in many cases have sourced alternative supplies to improve the robustness of their supply chains. Car manufacturing continues


to evolve, and the next challenge could well mean the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. That will bring issues such as how to transport potentially hazardous items such as Lithium batteries. Manufacturers, too will have to consider sources of supply and whether alternatives are available; Lithium tends to be mined in a few specifi c areas of the world. The automotive industry is very


exacting and remains ETC’s prime customer. However, it is bringing its expertise into other areas where time can be of the essence, such as oil and gas, mining and aerospace. ETC opened its Atlanta offi ce in


2017 and is continuing to develop its North American business. As well as UK offi ces, it has a 24hr control centre in Dusseldorf, Germany.


Europa off ers full tracking


services in a number of ways, ranging from fully-integrated EDI solutions to management of consignments on its Leonardo customer-friendly transport management system. Redpath states:


“The bespoke solution


is designed and created by our talented in-house IT team and because we’re not beholden to outsourced solutions, we’re able to off er maximum fl exibility and the system’s functionality is a source of continual review and development – driving exciting innovations, effi ciencies and exceptionally high levels of visibility, proactivity and quality.” As for how the automotive


supply chain might develop in the future: “I think we need only look to current aff airs, particularly referring to Brexit or China and the corona virus. Manufacturers have been openly conveying their concern about a lack of stock causing potential disruption to their supply chains and manufacturing capabilities in the short term. I expect these prevailing circumstances may serve to disrupt thinking in that manufacturing


sector and it


would be surprising if there were no resulting changes to those supply chains in the future.”


Transaid_LEJOG_A4_Ad_AW.indd 1 13/02/2019 13:01


Issue 2 2020 - Freight Business Journal


Safer motoring with DSV


A service enhancement that DSV Air and Sea UK can off er since the acquisition of Panalpina in 2019 are dedicated aircraſt for the fast and safe movements of vehicles. The two forwarders’ “experienced, passionate and highly trained” teams have joined forces to handle prestige, vintage, prototypes or supercars. “Having the right infrastructure in place and a global network in over 90 countries is fundamental,” DSV adds. DSV off ers other value-


added services such as secure warehousing in gated premises coupled with full CCTV monitoring. It will also administer all required shipping insurance policies and if required, off er witness loading, all of which can be incorporated into customers’ standard operating procedures. The automotive sector is also


a key focus area for DRS’s Road division which works not only with global car manufacturers and their


Tier 1 suppliers but also all other areas of the automotive supply chain. DSV Road says it off ers the


fl exibility of its standard European and domestic groupage services but also the capability to build bespoke solutions. It is a key supplier to car makers


for collection of production material with dedicated ‘milk runs’ into and out of the UK or using the cross-dock facility at the heart of the motorway network at Tamworth Staff ordshire. Return packaging is also dealt with through the hub, ensuring suppliers receive timely deliveries to enable the despatch of production parts. It adds that its UK network also


handles aſt ermarket deliveries with over 350 distribution vehicles collecting and delivering customers’ parts daily. Shipments under 2,500kg are fully tracked and traced with information available on the myDSV portal. In


19


addition, the network is capable of collecting and delivering hazardous goods including new battery technology. Recent successes include the


daily collection of production parts from UK vendors for delivery via the automotive hub in Stuttgart to German plants for a well-known car manufacturer and collection of pre-production material into two UK plants for new electric vehicles.


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