Given the impact of relocation on supply chains ( nearshoring ), especially in the automotive industry, specialists in the sector commented on the need to have specialized personnel , as well as the use of new technologies to anticipate or resolve disruptive events.
Anna Frank, vice president of Purchasing Americas at Forvia Clarion Electronics , said that the industry in Mexico has a large margin of opportunity to improve in terms of infrastructure and development.
He recalled that at the beginning of this year alone, the industry recorded the best production level in the last five years, with more than 300 thousand units, a growth of almost 10% year-on-year.
“We have to face the challenges and continue developing infrastructure, logistics and, above all, technological infrastructure for transportation to ensure that supply chains are more agile and resilient, which is what we need,” he said.
During the webinar Transformation of Automotive Logistics in North America: Current Trends and Challenges, he mentioned that among the actions carried out by the company is the strengthening of its alliances with key partners and suppliers, as well as training them to adapt to the new dynamics of the sector.
In this regard, Francisco Bravo, director of Supply Chain at Audi Mexico, reiterated that there is talent in the country, and that technology and innovation are also increasingly available , tools that allow companies to anticipate certain events and disruptions in supply chains.
“Scenario building, planning and communications with key partners are key to creating strategies that allow us to resolve these disruptions as quickly as possible and have a win-win with our trading partners,” he said.
Although he also explained that they have begun to use Artificial Intelligence and other technologies to analyze possible scenarios, they have also increased communication with different organizations, such as the port of Veracruz to anticipate weather events, customs processes and others, to maintain their operations at a pace that allows them to achieve their goals.
Melanie Brasch, Head of Business Area Automation Mexican Region at Schnellecke Logistics , explained that the rise of nearshoring in North America is transforming the automotive industry, which represents challenges and opportunities for supply chains.
He explained that through their in-house logistics approach , they have identified that this trend has impacted their clients, with one of the challenges being flexibility in the face of volatility or geopolitical changes , among others, which is why the chains must be more resilient.
He also said that, with the increase in operations in the country, talent management is important, because competition in logistics is increasing.
“We created our own training centers years ago because we couldn’t find qualified people in the market, and we recreate our clients’ operations in our centers. Before, we worked with job boards and they didn’t give us the best results, so today we are becoming experts in the development of our staff,” he said.
He said that competitiveness and collaboration within the industry are also required to face the challenges of the present and the future.
The specialists agreed that relocating their operations to Mexico allows them to protect the supply chain from any situation such as a strike, port saturation, or a climatic event, and also contributes to protecting the environment.
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