The Kingsley Group will host its 11th annual Transporte Internacional (TI) conference Feb 28-March 3, 2001, in Acapulco, Mexico. This conference serves as a venue for international transportation executives - including shippers, carriers, providers, and government officials - to discuss trade, transportation, and logistic trends in the North American Free Trade Agreement region.
Industry leaders will address the evolution of e-commerce, report on Mexico's carrier privatization efforts, evaluate existing customs challenges, and discuss the changeover in political administrations both in the United States and Mexico. Confirmed speakers include David O'Brien, chairman, president, and chief executive officer, Canadian Pacific Ltd; Troy Clark, CEO, General Motors Mexico; Rob Quartel, CEO, Freightdesk; George Weise, managing director-trade management consulting, Vastera; Scott Arves, chief operations officer, Schneider National; Carlos Velez, director general, APL Mexico; and Mario Mohar, director general, TFM Railroad.
A gala dinner will include a keynote address by the newly appointed Mexican Transportation Minister and United States Secretary of Transportation. Hotel space is limited, and interested parties are encouraged to register early. For registration and conference information, phone 510-528-3977 or go to the TI web site, www.kingsley-group.com/ti.html.
Vehicle Maintenance Conference Turns 50 The 50th-anniversary Vehicle Maintenance Management Conference will be held March 19-22, 2001, at the University of Washington's Seattle campus. This conference offers management sessions, technical panels, and equipment demonstrations.
Session topics to be covered include engine problem-solving, equipment replacement strategies, steering and suspension systems, warranties, shop management, lubricants, hydraulic brakes, and vehicle emissions testing.
For the first time, VMMC will conduct a one-day exhibit fair with indoor and outdoor vendor displays. Other activities planned include optional tours for participants and their guests, and a reunion of VMMC officers from the past 50 years.
The registration fee is $295. For full information, contact Engineering Professional Programs, 10303 Meridian Ave North #301, Seattle WA 98133; phone 206-543-5539; fax 206-543-2352; or e-mail [email protected].
Royal Vopak Implements Plan to Expand, Streamline As part of the strategy it announced in August 2000, Koninklijke Vopak NV (Royal Vopak) has taken these steps:
Vopak France SARL, a Royal Vopak holding company, has acquired all outstanding shares in the French distribution company Vaissiere Favre, effective Dec 1, 2000. Vaissiere Favre, based in Lyon, distributes chemical products to industries in eastern and southeastern France.
In Europe, Vopak is working on establishing a pan-European organization. Vaissiere's annual net sales are some 34 million Euro dollars. In Europe, Vopak achieved net sales of 925 million Euro dollars in chemical distribution in 1999.
Vopak plans to double its net sales in this field within three to five years. The planned acquisition of Ellis & Everard will achieve 50% of this target. Vopak generated total net sales in chemical distribution of 2.8 billion Euro dollars in 1999.
Vopak Logistic Services, a Royal Vopak business unit, has acquired operations of Van Wellen Storage NV in Antwerp, Belgium, effective Jan 1, 2001. Van Wellen's four centers in the Antwerp area provide a total storage capacity of about 77,000 square meters for chemicals distribution and generate annual net sales of around 11 million Euro dollars. This expansion more than doubles Vopak's capacity in the Antwerp port area.
Van Wellen will make its warehouses available to Vopak for at least 10 years, and Vopak will acquire the entire workforce (36 permanent and 62 flexible staff).
Royal Vopak has sold its 50% interest in the Indian tank storage company United Storage & Tank Terminals Ltd to the partner IMC Ltd, Madras (India Molasses Co). Through this transaction, Vopak is divesting its interests in three small terminals on India's west coast - in Kandla, Karwar, and Goa - with a total capacity of about 63,000 cubic meters. Divestment of such comparatively small terminals is expected to reduce capacity by around 6%. At present, Vopak has 68 terminals worldwide with a total capacity of more than 23 million cubic meters.
Vopak intends to shift its focus in India to developing a limited number of large terminals in emerging chemicals centers.