March 2010
ECM Wins Global Supplier of
the Year Award
For the second time in three years ECM (Vehicle Delivery
Service) Ltd, the Cumbrian based automotive logistics provider,
has been chosen by General Motors for one of its most prestigious
awards of “Global Supplier of the Year”.
ECM delivers GM’s Vauxhall and Chevrolet brands to
the UK dealer network and transports Opel branded cars and
vans from GM’s Ellesmere Port and Luton factories to
ports of exit for onward shipment to Continental Europe.
Selecting from some 20,000 supply companies worldwide, GM
chose its 76 best suppliers for recognition with one of these
coveted awards.
The majority of award winners were designers and manufacturers
of components. ECM’s award was unique due to only 7
of the 76 recipients being logistics providers and the fact
that ECM was the only, overland, car carrier chosen from GM’s
total worldwide supply chain and the only UK company.
ECM’s selection as a “world class supplier”
was attributed to its proven willingness to go the extra mile
during what was one of GM’s most challenging years in
its history and to provide a level of service that was not
only superlative in quality and performance but supportive
of the extreme needs placed upon it by the unprecedented difficulties
which the automotive industry experienced during 2009.
The award was presented to ECM’s Chairman and Managing
Director, Ray Mac Dowall, by Susanna Webber, Executive Director
of Global Logistics and Bill Hurles, director, Global Purchasing
and Supply Chain, during an awards ceremony held on 11th March
2010, at the GM Design Dome, Warren, Michigan, which was hosted
by GM’s Vice President, Global Purchasing and Supply
Chain, Bob Socia and attended by GM’s Chief Executive
Officer Mr. Ed Whitacre, Jr.
Commenting on the news, Ray Mac Dowall said, “in consideration
of the scale and diversity of GM’s global supply base,
for a UK logistics supplier to be recognised as a world class
supplier by one of the world’s largest companies is
very special, but to have won one of their Global Supplier
Awards twice in three years is an achievement we would never
have dreamt was possible.
I very much see this award as testimony to ECM’s dedication
to delivering services of an exceptional standard which, through
the diligence and hard work of our employees, we continuously
achieve.
I am very proud and privileged to have been able to receive
this award on their behalf. We are all extremely grateful
to everyone at GM Europe and in particular Elliot Swiss, Director
of Logistics GM Europe, and Mark Poulton, Manager Logistics
UK & Ireland, for their nomination”.
January 2010
ECM Wins Nissan Distribution
Contract
Following an intensive competitive bidding process, ECM has
been selected by Nissan to undertake delivery from its Washington
distribution compound, on Tyne and Wear, of all new vehicles
destined for one of its largest UK distribution zones encompassing
South Wales and South West England.
Commenting on the news, ECM Managing Director, Ray Mac Dowall
said, “Nissan’s selection of ECM for the award
of this major segment of its UK distribution is especially
welcome when viewed in context with SMMT’s forecast
of a 10% reduction in passenger car sales for 2010. We are
going to need all the business we can muster in order to keep
the ECM fleet and all our employees gainfully employed in
2010 and the additional volumes from Nissan will greatly assist
in this cause”.
ECM Opens up New Route to Scotland
On Monday, 4th January, ECM received its first shipment of
Mazda cars into the Scottish port of Rosyth for onward distribution
to Mazda retailers in Scotland.
Working in conjunction with Mazda Motor Logistics Europe
NV and Mazda UK, ECM logisticians have re-engineered the supply
route of new Mazda cars to Scotland from the Belgium port
of Zeebrugge by switching the UK port of entry from Killingholme
on Humberside to Rosyth on the Firth of Forth.
This new routing utilizes the services of Norfolkline’s
3 times weekly service between Zeebrugge and Rosyth resulting
in the cars entering the UK some 150 miles nearer to their
end destination than the previous port of entry, Killingholme.
ECM’s Ray Mac Dowall commented, “when we analysed
the Rosyth routing, as an alternative UK service for Mazda,
we realised the environmental benefits were significant. The
net result of these are a saving of some 280,000 truck miles
and 493 tonnes of CO2 p.a”.
The first shipment of 115 vehicles entered Rosyth on January
4th and were despatched and delivered to the Scottish dealers
within 24 hours of arrival.
Volkswagen Group UK Renews
Contract with ECM
Volkswagen Group United Kingdom Limited has re-appointed
ECM as their major carrier for the distribution of its five
Brands i.e. Volkswagen Car, Volkswagen Commercial, Audi, Seat
and Skoda to VWG’s retailer network in the UK.
The new agreement will take ECM into its nineteenth consecutive
year of service with Volkswagen Group UK Ltd. and involves
the movement of c220,000 units p.a. between VWG’s three
import centres at North Shields, Grimsby and Sheerness and
VWG UK’s retail network.
A delighted Ray Mac Dowall said, “ coming in the midst
of the worst economic recession in recent history the retendering
of VWG UK’s distribution contract was always going to
prove a real test of the strength of our relationship with
The Group. Competition could never have been stronger and
we are extremely proud, once again, to have received the fullest
support of our customer which has resulted in ECM being chosen
by VWG UK as their major carrier for a sixth consecutive term.
It is a real pleasure working with VWG UK, both ECM and VWG
UK share the same enthusiasm for high standards of quality
and service which provides the basis for a long-term partnership”.
Gefco UK Selects ECM for Southwest
Distribution
On behalf of Gefco UK, under the terms of a new 2 year agreement,
ECM commenced deliveries of Peugeot and Citroen from the port
of Sheerness to the P.S.A. dealer network in Devon and Cornwall
on January 4th.
Gefco UK is one of ECM’s long–standing customers
and the new dealer delivery contract will add to ECM’s
existing trunk operations which it undertakes for Gefco between
Gefco’s Sheerness import centre and its Regional Distribution
Centre at Sandtoft on Humberside.
|
