Supply chain promise in the spotlight as logistics sector gathers in Pune

Logistics operations for the automotive industry in India are showing positive signs for the first time for many years
 
Nov. 28, 2013 - PRLog -- Crucial changes to rail policy are bringing private investment in finished vehicle delivery ever closer, while investments in port ro-ro infrastructure is allowing carmakers like Hyundai and Nissan to boost exports.

The three parties in the logistics equation – OEMs and tier suppliers, government ministries, and the logistics service providers – will be gathering at the Automotive Logistics India conference in Pune on 12-13 December. It will be the seventh in the annual series of these events.

Most of the significant figures from OEMs will be present. Those speaking at the conference include senior executives from the country’s big three: RS Kalsi, executive officer for supply chain and logistics at market leader Maruti Suzuki; SK Krishnan, vice president of demand chain management at Mahindra and Mahindra; and the CEO of Tata’s distribution arm, Prem Verma.

Speakers from global OEMs will include: Volkswagen India’s director of logisticsCarsten Goransch; Ford’s vice president of material flow and exports operations for Asia Pacific and Africa, Amlan Bose; Hyundai’s senior general manager for sales logistics, Anand Venkateswaran; and Fiat India’s supply chain general manager Vinayak Shrotri.

They will meet against an unhelpful market backdrop. A fall in vehicle output this year is being forecast by SIAM, the national association of carmakers, making the second consecutive year of decline. “The market has struggled with high inflation and interest rates, with the poor infrastructure also a drag on the economy,” notes Christopher Ludwig, editor of the Automotive Logistics group. “But this year’s conference theme of ‘India’s supply chain promise’ sets the tone for what can be achieved.”

Outbound rail is a critical area of focus. “There is a clamouring for an improved rail option,” says Bill Villalon, senior vice-president of global automotive for APL Logistics and chairman of the company’s jv in India with Vascor. “Nobody can see a way forward that doesn’t involve rail.”

The government’s attempt at attracting private investment via its Automobile Freight Train Operator (AFTO) initiative hasn’t yet proved attractive enough. But Suhas Kumar, advisor on freight management at the Ministry of Railways, will be at the conference to provide an update.  APL’s Villalon is among the overwhelming majority who believe that fundamentals in India point towards rail. “All we now have to do is get to a workable policy in place,” he says

Meanwhile the outlook for the road network will be reviewed in a presentation and Q&A session by Sanjay Bandopadhyaya, joint secretary for highways at the Ministry of Road.

Pressure is also showing results in exports. Delegates will hear updates on port infrastructure, and solutions to the challenges of keeping cars clean and damage-free as they move through the ports.

“Economic downturn or not, at any point of time India-built vehicles will be cheaper than home-built ones [in many world markets’],” says Srinath Manda, program manager for transportation and logistics at consultant Frost & Sullivan. “That does not mean the cheaper cost is the ultimate decider. For importers, quality matters a lot, [but] Indian auto OEMs have successfully met those tough parameters.”  Manda will be giving delegates an exclusive update on forecasts for both domestic demand and export flows.

Delegates to the conference benefit from extensive networking in a carefully-structured two-day programme which includes special sessions devoted to supply chain management, service parts and packaging among others. The conference is preceded by an introductory cocktail reception hosted by logistics provider Geodis on the evening before the event, and includes lunch and tea break networking plus the mid-conference gala dinner. All are included in the single delegate fee, which has a reduced rate for domestic participants.

The conference is supported by gold sponsor Geodis, by global sponsor Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, and by silver sponsors APL Vascor, BLG, DB Schenker, Goodpack and UTi.

Automotive Logistics India is part of an annual global series of Automotive Logistics conferences, including those in Europe, North America, South America, China and Russia.

For more information and to register to attend go to www.automotivelogisticsindia.com

END

Notes to editors

Press:   Vicky Aitken

vicky.aitken@ultimamedia.com  +44 208 987 0953

Automotive Logistics India conference chairman: Louis Yiakoumi

louis.yiakoumi@ultimamedia.com  +44 208 987 0944

Automotive Logistics group editor:  Christopher Ludwig
christopher.ludwig@ultimamedia.com   +44 208 987 0968

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