To help reduce the effects of a shortage of qualified automotive supply-chain workers, DHL Global Forwarding conducted the third training module of its Corporate Automotive Logistics Academy 4.0 (CALA 4.0) in Detroit earlier this month. This is the first time the course has been held in the United States and the second time in the Americas.
The Detroit program came about after DHL Global Forwarding published a study at the beginning of this year that described a talent shortage in the automotive industry’s supply chain. The study presented current problems in the industry and showed the steps that companies can take to overcome the talent crisis. Through CALA 4.0, DHL Global Forwarding was able to connect globally with experts from the automotive industry and share important insights and best practices that promote trade throughout the entire sector.
The program was developed in cooperation with BVL Campus, the educational branch of the global supply chain experts of BVL International, which focuses on trends and strategies in automotive logistics. More than 20 participants from original equipment manufacturers and suppliers took part in the training, honing their supply-chain management skills in workshops and discussions.. “Smart production needs a modified supply chain. At the moment, supply chain management in the automotive manufacturing and supply industry is undergoing rapid and steady change. The only way to reach the top and stay there in the global market is to learn and act cooperatively, in a way that combines knowledge with practice,” said Christiane Beimel, head of CALA 4.0 and vice president of value added services at DHL Global Forwarding, in Germany.
The CALA 4.0 training was led by Dr. Alexander Bode, a logistics and supply chain management expert from the BVL Campus in Bremen, Germany. In the U.S., he received support from Dr. Mario Monsreal, associate research scientist at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, and a team of experts from the automotive sector of DHL Global Forwarding.