Just a note,
If your net browser and Inet connection will do it, I have started listening
to the World Radio Network, WRN1.
I'm not sure how I found it, but it feeds news bits from all over the world.
Interesting slants on what is going here.
I just heard from a S.Africa station that Bush is planning that our
government will become far more intrusive.
I don't think he said that, but they seem to think so.
Also,
Any comments about this report on Ford and what the situation will be with
current in use MVs.
Do we outsource much in the MV realm?
* AFTERMATH: Ford Starts Stockpiling
Ford Motor Co. is abandoning its lean-inventory business model in
order to guard against possible parts shortages that would slam
the door on production without warning. It's a major move imposed
by the new, uncertain world born Sept. 11. Ford has spent many
millions of dollars over several years building the IT
infrastructure necessary to manage just-in-time global deliveries
that didn't require stockpiles. Now, its systems must be able to
handle the fact that engines and other critical parts will be
stored.
Ford spokesman Ed Lewis says IT execs are evaluating their
inventory- and warehouse-management and other systems to ensure
they can be adapted to the new inventory-management demands.
Lewis says it's too early to say what kind of changes might be
required. Ford is not abandoning its just-in-time inventory
management model at factories, where parts are delivered to the
factory line within minutes of when they are needed. But critical
parts will be stockpiled and warehoused near U.S. plants.
The company closed five North American plants last week after the
U.S.-Canada border was sealed and commercial flight was grounded,
blocking the flow of parts--particularly engines. Once the
borders were reopened, shipments from Canada were delayed by as
much as 15 hours due to more-stringent cargo inspections. Fewer
international flights mean less airline cargo space and
shipping-cost increases of up to 50%.
Lewis says Ford execs are working under the assumption that parts
shipments from around the world--including Asia and other
overseas locations--will be subject to delays caused by national
security issues and border closings that could halt future
production without warning. "We are planning for transportation
disruptions for years in the future," he says. Ford also is in
the process of evaluating--on a contract-by-contract
basis--whether to award parts contracts to U.S. suppliers rather
than foreign suppliers to limit border crossings. - Steve Konicki
Rikk Rogers - RK Lion LTD.
416 S 4th St
Ponca City OK. 74601-5335
(580)762-3157 rkltd@swbell.net
http://home.swbell.net/rkltd/
-M35A2- -M38- MVPA -22345-
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Oct 08 2001 - 10:59:00 PDT