Billion Dollar News Capsules

Aramex, the global logistics and transportation solutions provider, announced that it has been awarded Class A status by the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) for its Amsterdam facility in The Netherlands. TAPA is a unique forum which unites global manufacturers, logistics providers, freight carriers, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders with the common aim of reducing losses from international supply chains. The association has developed a worldwide freight security standard which specifies minimum acceptable security requirements for assets travelling throughout the supply chain and the methods to be used in maintaining those standards.  Class A accreditation means that the Amsterdam facilities comply with the highest levels of security under TAPA.

Agility, a leading global logistics provider, has announced the official commencement of operations in Cambodia with the opening of an office in Phnom Penh. The opening supports Agility’s network growth strategy and further strengthens its operations in Indochina.

Agility, a leading global logistics provider, announced its appointment as the official logistics provider for the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC). The partnership agreement means that Agility will be responsible for handling the logistics requirements for New Zealand teams competing in events such as the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later this year through the London Olympic Games in 2012. 

Agility, relocated to a new modern facility in Ho Chi Minh City located close to the Tan Son Nhat International Airport. The new office is 550 sq m and will act as the headquarters for Agility Vietnam and Indochina.

Agility currently has three offices in Vietnam in Danang, Hanoi, and Vung Tau and over 120 employees.  The new Ho Chi Minh office is part of Agility’s ongoing investment in rapidly growing emerging markets in Southeast Asia. Agility’s own refrigerated trucks offer delivery across Vietnam and investment is under way for cross border transportation options and a multi-user facility in the Ho Chi Minh area.

Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group firm Reliance Infrastructure has signed an agreement with the National Highways Authority of India for developing the Rs.3,000 crore Delhi-Agra highway project. "R-Infra has signed a concession agreement for six-laning of the 180-km stretch of the Delhi-Agra road project," the company said in a statement.

Association of American Railroads said Traffic totaled 231,286 trailers and containers for the week ended July 5.  Intermodal rail traffic jumped 36.6% compared with a year ago.

ArvinMeritor Inc. said it posted a second-quarter profit on cost cuts and higher auto production.Its profit for the fiscal quarter was $13 million, or 16 cents per share, compared with a loss of $49 million, or 67 cents, a year ago.

American Public Transportation Association has launched a Center for High-Speed Rail, aiming to 'advance and promote high-speed rail in the United States.' Announced on January, this will build on the work of APTA's existing High-Speed & Intercity Rail and Legislative committees.

AAC Capital Partners ("AAC"), a leading Northern European mid-market buy-out firm, has acquired a majority stake in Envirotainer.

ArvinMeritor said its fourth-quarter loss narrowed and the company announced several executive appointments. The company lost $12 million, or 17 cents a share, in the fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with $153 million, or $2.12 per share, a year ago.

Agility signed an agreement to acquire Baisui United Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., a Shanghai-based domestic logistics company focusing on the chemicals, automotive, and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sectors.

ArvinMeritor Inc. Vehicle parts maker said it will invest up to $10 million in its commercial vehicle business in Brazil. Chief Executive Officer Chip McClure said the investment is part of company’s “focus on becoming a global commercial vehicle company.” Its production in South America is up 9% from a year ago, he said.

American Megatrends India (AMI India), launched their vehicle tracking system (VTS) brand Falcon-i. Falcon-i has been designed, developed in India and will be manufactured at the AMI India’s factory located in Chennai.

Abu Dhabi Department of Transport (DoT) announced that it hosted the 13th Air Transport Research Society World Conference at the Hilton. DoT is bringing this international event to Abu Dhabi to support and promote the continued growth and success of the aviation and tourism sectors, and to further enhance the Emirate’s reputation as a global industry hub and centre for innovation and excellence.

Atom Technologies, has tied-up with Paulo Travels, to provide ticket booking and payments services over the phone. This facility will be available to customers in cities such as Goa, Hyderabad, Pune, Bangalore, Mangalore, Mumbai, Hampi (Karnataka) and Karwar (Karnataka), Ahmedabad, Mysore.

Agility Project Logistics announced that it has entered into an agreement with Chevron Australia Pty Ltd (“Chevron”) for supply base operations and transportation services to support the Gorgon Project.The Gorgon Project is a joint venture between the Australian subsidiaries of Chevron (Operator), Exxon Mobil and Shell, to develop the Greater Gorgon gas field located between 130km and 200km off the north-west coast of Western Australia.

AvtoVAZ, Russia's largest carmaker, announced a loss of 6.33 billion rubles ($198 million) in January-March 2009 against a net profit of 281 million rubles ($8.8 million) in the same period of 2008. Revenues in the reporting period declined 54.6% to 16.99 billion rubles ($530.9 million). The carmaker has suspended production several times this year amid declining sales and demand and also due to payment disputes with car part suppliers.

BMW remains steadfast in its commitment to including Maintenance on every new BMW sold or leased in the US.  Beginning with the 2003 model year every new BMW includes maintenance for 4 years or 50,000 miles.

BMW Group continued on its successful growth track as the world’s leading premium manufacturer once again in July with an increase in sales of 9.1%. A total of 119,982 (prev. yr. 109,933) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles were sold worldwide in July. Over the past seven months, the number of deliveries climbed 12.5% to 816,014 vehicles (prev. yr. 725.403). Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing. The BMW Group made substantial gains in many markets in July. In the US, the company delivered 10.1% (23,390 / prev. yr. 21,253) more vehicles. With 19,064 (+16.4% / prev. yr. 16,381) sales last month, the BMW brand was once again the best-selling premium automobile brand in the US market. Among the European markets, the BMW Group reported the largest increases with +25.6% in Great Britain / Ireland (11.748 / prev. yr. 9.352). The company once more reported its strongest growth in Asia, where 52.1% more vehicles (22.629 / prev. yr. 14.882) were sold last month. The trend in the largest Asian market, China, remained extremely positive, with an increase in sales volumes of 81.7% to 13,852 automobiles (prev. yr. 7,623). The company also managed to make gains in Germany against the strong downward trend (-30%) in the overall market. A total of 23,384 (prev. yr. 22,570) new BMW and MINI vehicles were registered here in July – an increase of 3.6%.

BMW Group Financial Services has once again outperformed the automotive finance industry by earning three-out-of-three top awards as recognized by the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Awards for excellence in dealer financing satisfaction. With a total of 21 J.D. Power and Associates Awards earned since 1997, BMW Group Financial Services has received more J.D. Power Awards for dealer and consumer financing satisfaction than any luxury automaker.

BMW of North America announced that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) declared the 2011 BMW 5 Series Sedan a 2010 Top Safety Pick.  The new 5 Series earned the top rating of “Good” based on its performance in each of the Institute’s crash tests. Receiving the 2010 Top Safety Pickfor the 2011 BMW 5 Series Sedan is one of numerous awards BMW has earned from the IIHS over the years.  In fact, as a result of tests conducted in 2008, the 2009 BMW 3 Series Sedan as well as the X3 and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles® earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick.

BMW Group in the U.S. reported July sales of 23,390 vehicles, an increase of 10.1 percent from the 21,253 vehicles sold last year.  Year-to-date, the BMW Group also reported a sales volume of 144,975 vehicles, up 6.8 percent from the 135,701 units sold last year.

BMW Group announced  it will be the Official Mobility Partner of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) from now through 2016. BMW Group will also be the Official Mobility Partner of four National Governing Bodies (NGBs): USA Bobsled & Skeleton, US Speedskating, USA Swimming and USA Track & Field.

BMW Group has ended the first half-year with substantial growth in sales. A total of 696,026 (prev. yr. 615,454) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles were delivered to customers worldwide in the first six months of the year – an increase of 13.1%. In June, sales volumes rose 12.2% to 143,157 (prev. yr. 127.556) vehicles. The company made gains in virtually all markets during the first half-year, with sales in China, the American and European markets in particular reporting the strongest growth.

BMW of North America has announced three BMW Performance aerodynamic accessories for the M3 Coupe, Sedan, and Convertible. The new rear deck lid spoiler, mirror caps, and front splitters are constructed of ultra-rigid carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite material, matching the standard CFRP roof panel of the M3 Coupe. Each component is shaped based on advanced research conducted in one of BMW’s Munich-based wind tunnels. This ensures compatibility with the overall aerodynamic “signature” of the M3, serving to reduce lift and minimize drag. Such characteristics are appropriate to enhance the vehicle’s high-speed stability while maintaining fuel efficiency.

BMW and MINI vehicles June sales in the U.S. increased 11.9 percent to 23,331 units, delivering the best sales month for the company this year.  During the first half of the year, the BMW Group reported a total sales volume of 121,585 vehicles, up 6.2 percent from the same period last year.

BMW Manufacturing announced it will bring on board over 500 new contingency associates in the next few months to get ready for production of the next generation BMW X3. This workforce increase also prepares Plant Spartanburg to meet growing demand of other models currently being produced for worldwide markets. The company said workers being hired under this process will be eligible for health, dental, 401(k) and vacation benefits.

BMW Motorrad presented the concept study Concept 6 in autumn 2009, the six-cylinder in-line engine featured in it has captured the imagination of many motorcycle fans. With BMW, six-cylinder in-line engines have stood for fascinating engine technology in automobiles for over seven decades, in a way which is unique among brands. In the near future, BMW motorcycles will also be available with an internally developed six-cylinder in-line engine.

BMW Group is once again breaking new ground with the Megacity Vehicle (MCV), due to come onto the market in 2013: “The Megacity Vehicle is a revolutionary automobile. It will be the world’s first volume-produced vehicle with a passenger cell made from carbon.

BMW Group is maintaining its strong sales momentum: The number of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles delivered to customers worldwide in April climbed 14.6% to reach 116,391 (prev. yr. 101,591) vehicles.

BMW Manufacturing announced that it has surpassed the export of over one million vehicles, 85% of which have gone through the Port of Charleston. Currently, over 70% of the vehicles produced in Spartanburg are exported to over 120 worldwide markets.

BMW 5 Series already amount to more than 5.5 million units in five model generations – and now a new chapter is starting in the highly successful story of the BMW 5 Series Sedan.While the sixth generation naturally follows the great heritage of its predecessors, its roots go back much further.

BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo has won the 2010 Ward’s Auto Interior of the Year award for Design Versatility.  This unique automobile was designed to expand on the original gran turismo concept, which was a luxurious and sporty car for two with room for luggage. 

BMW Group Classic, the newly established Motorsport division is offering assistance in everything to do with classic competition vehicles that carry the BMW and Mini badges. The activities of the motorsport specialists extend from advice on servicing and repair, through parts procurement, right up to complete restoration.

BMW of North America, LLC  has introduced a personalized smartphone application for its Roadside Assistance service in the United States. BMW Roadside Assistance is included as part of BMW Ultimate Service® with every new and Certified Pre-Owned BMW model, and is also available as a per-year subscription for older models.

BMW Group has received a major order from the American law enforcement vehicle manufacturer, Carbon Motors Corp., to supply more than 240,000 diesel engines.

BMW will introduce the most innovative and stylish 5 Series ever to the North American market at the New York International Auto Show.  The all-new 5 Series will share the spotlight with the 335is Coupe and Convertible and BMW X5 SAV, which are also making their North American debuts and the BMW Alpina B7 xDrive which is making its World debut.  All of the new BMWs will be 2011 models.

BMW Group wins six prizes for outstanding product design. International jury of experts awards the Rolls-Royce Ghost, the BMW 5 Series Sedan,   the BMW X1, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, the BMW F 800 R, the BMW S 1000 RR.

BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported March sales of 21,670 vehicles, an increase of 2.6 percent from the 21,125 vehicles sold in the same month of 2009. 

BMW has announced pricing for the all-new 2011 BMW 535i and 550i Sedans. Including $875 Destination & Handling, the new 535i Sedan will start at $50,475, and the V-8 powered 550i will start at $60,575.

BAE Systems has delivered the first of the hybrid electric systems that will power 56 Alexander Dennis 400 double-decker buses in Oxford and Manchester. 

BMW Group is targeting a significant improvement in group earnings for the current year. “We want to see visible progress in 2010 in the direction of our profitability targets for 2012“, stated Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG at the Annual Accounts Press Conference.

BMW Motorrad USA posted a 52 percent increase in retail sales in the same period U.S. motorcycle market continued to struggle as it declined 36% in February 2010 compared to the same month last year.

BMW of North America, LLC announced two of its Regional Distribution Centers located in suburban Chicago (Minooka, IL) and Eastern Pennsylvania (Lower Nazareth, PA) have received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council.

BMW Motorrad delivered 87,306 (previous year: 101,685) BMW motorcycles were delivered to customers in 2009 which is equivalent to a comparatively moderate drop of 14.1%. BMW Motorrad has thus not only reached the target it set itself, but also achieved the second-lowest decline in sales amongst the competition.

BMW Group Financial Services has partnered with Manheim to distribute and remarket all company BMW and MINI vehicles originating out of BMW of North America’s Woodcliff Lake, N.J. headquarters.  Now, BMW and MINI dealers from across the U.S. will have the opportunity to bid on inventory from this single pool, affording customers unprecedented access to high quality used BMWs and MINIs. 

BMW will write the latest chapter in the story of the world's first Sports Activity Vehicle, the BMW X5. Originally launched for the 2000 model year in late 1999, the BMW X5 permanently changed the automotive landscape. It proved that the driving dynamics, responsiveness, and linear control signature to every BMW could be compatible with utility, versatility, and other-roads capability.

BMW Group to build progressive electric vehicle in Leipzig with major components from Bavaria. Clear commitment to Germany as the home of production.

 
BMW has announced a comprehensive contingency award program with increased awards for competitors racing BMW cars and BMW-powered cars in the 2010 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

BMW Motorrad was voted “Motorcycle of the Year 2010" in the readers' vote of the motorcycle magazine MOTORRAD, with clear victories in all five categories in which BMW motorcycles were represented - the best result ever achieved by a manufacturer in the history of the vote.

BMW of North America accepted the Ward's 10 Best Engines award for its groundbreaking 3.0-liter BMW Advanced Diesel engine at the North American International Auto Show.

BMW Series was a winner in the R. L. Polk & Co.’s Automotive Loyalty Awards for the 2009 model year. The 3 Series took top honors in the Luxury Car category.

BMW announced the North American debut of the 7 Series with a twin-turbocharged inline-6 engine. Both models will go on sale in the United States as 2011 models in Spring 2010.

BMW Motorrad USA outperformed all of its competitors in 2009.  Despite a U.S. motorcycle market that declined 41 percent and lost nearly 360,000 units, BMW motorcycle sales only declined 22 percent, which was the smallest decline among all motorcycle brands.

BMW Indonesia’s new Buy Back Guarantee for 5 Series.Purchasers of BMW 523i and BMW 530i in Indonesia are entitled to a 90 percent Buy Back Guarantee after one year of ownership.

BMW Motorrad USA Expands Dealer Network with the Opening of Eight New Facilities Woodcliff Lake, NJ. BMW Motorrad USA has announced the opening of eight new dealerships within the past five months to better serve BMW motorcycle customers in new and underserved markets.

BMW Group Asia ended the year in an upward swing with a substantial increase in sales of 42% for December 2009.  A total of 698 (prev. yr 489) BMW and MINI brand automobiles were sold in the East Asia region in the month under review.

BMW Indonesia achieved a record 25% increase in its 2009 sales performance to become the fastest growing premium brand in Indonesia.  The company delivered 901 units of BMW vehicles to its customers last year, compared to 720 units in the previous year.

BMW Group announced at the Washington Auto Show the first results from a comprehensive study conducted in cooperation with the University of California (UC Davis)  and consumers leasing MINI E electic vehicles as part of a year-long program to acquire real world use patterns.

BSY Associates Inc. and RTG Communications announced the formation of Trade Partners Worldwide, a global marketing agency network dedicated to providing integrated brand development.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. said its fourth-quarter profit fell 13% as shipping volumes continued to drop. The rail line’s profit decreased to $536 million, or $1.55 per share, from $615 million, or $1.78, a year ago.

BMW has announced substantial enhancements to the 2011 3 Series Coupe and Convertible, including outstanding style updates for 328i and 335i models and a new engine for 335i models. The 2011 3 Series Coupe and Convertible models will go on sale in Spring 2010, and pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

BMW of North America announced that the 2011 BMW ALPINA B7 sedan will join BMW’s North American product range as the most dynamic 7 Series model.  The BMW ALPINA B7 represents the second generation of ALPINA automobiles based on the BMW 7 Series to be offered in the US. The first BMW ALPINA B7 was offered as a limited edition for the 2007 and 2008 model years. Newly interpreted and based on the current BMW 7 Series platform, the B7 will again set the benchmark in terms of performance, refinement, technology, luxury and exclusivity.

Bjork.Eklund Group has acquired 16 companies that were part of the Norwegian Transport Network (NTN) as part of plans to expand in the Nordic region. NTN was the largest independent provider of logistics in Norway and had a presence in nine other countries through a total of 30 fully owned companies. The owners of Björk. Eklund Group, Stefan Björk and Björn Eklund, said the NTN companies would offer an effective fit with existing Björk.Eklund and offer new opportunities.

BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported December sales of 23,617 vehicles, an increase of 9.2 percent from the 21,626 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago.  For 2009, the BMW Group also reported a total sales volume of 241,727 vehicles, down 20.3 percent compared to 303,190 vehicles sold in 2008.

BMW in Germany, South Africa and Japan, Kuehne + Nagel has now also been selected as their logistics partner at the modern production site in Leipzig. As of January 1, 2010, Kuehne + Nagel will assume responsibility for the entire supply chain for final assembly of BMW automotive products. BMW’s project i Megacity Vehicle research initiative. Woodcliff Lake, NJ. Introducing the BMW Concept ActiveE, the latest electric vehicle project under BMW Group’s initiative to produce vehicles that explore solutions to minimize environmental impacts while preserving the kinetic driving experience for which BMW has long been known.

BMW announced a two-year extension of its partnership with the PGA TOUR and the Western Golf Association (WGA).  All proceeds of the BMW Championship benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation, which grants full college scholarships to deserving young caddies.  This year, those proceeds totaled $1.6 million.

BMW’s Roadster Gets Higher-Performance Model for 2011. Combining classic proportions with modern features, the BMW Z4 Roadster enjoys the top spot in its market segment. Now, the new BMW Z4 sDrive35is distills the Roadster’s performance potential to produce one of BMW’s fastest and best-handling Roadsters ever. The BMW Z4 sDrive35is is making its world debut as a 2011 model at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. It arrives at authorized BMW Centers in Spring 2010.

BMW Group sales continued their upward trend in November. Overall, the company delivered 11.5% more vehicles than in the same month previous year at 107,686 (prev. yr. 96,609) units. Since the start of the year, 1,162,510 (prev. yr. 1,323,453 / -12.2%) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce have been sold worldwide.

BMW of North America, LLC announced a minor base price increase of 0.4 percent for BMW vehicles sold in the U.S. effective January 1, 2010.  Additionally, the Destination & Handling charge increases by $50 to $875 on the same date.

BMW Indonesia sales grew 24% through the end of November 2009 to 811 units in total, exceeding the full year result in 2008 with a month to go and maintaining its position as Indonesia’s fastest growing premium brand. In November itself, the company delivered 103 units, exceeding the 90 units achieved in the previous month.

BMW’S groundbreaking 3.0-liter Advanced Diesel engine has again been named one of Ward’s 10 Best Engines. For the 2010 model year and the second year in a row, BMW’s sequential twin-turbo inline-6 diesel engine was elected to the 10 Best Engines list by the Ward’s AutoWorld panel of expert judges. To win a place on the 10 Best Engines list, an engine must score highly in measures of horsepower, torque, refinement, technical relevance, and comparative data.

BMW announced that it has won two Best Resale Value awards from Kelley Blue Book and a Residual Value Award from ALG. The BMW 1 Series won the ALG Residual Value Award in the Near Luxury Car category. The BMW X5 xDrive35d Advanced Diesel was named Best Resale Value in its class by Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, and the 2010 BMW M3 is one of the Top 10 cars with Best Resale Value according to Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.

BMW Motorrad USA and the California Superbike School, riders will have the opportunity to unleash the power of the most potent, sophisticated and lightest sportbike ever produced -- under the guidance of trained professionals.  Beginning in 2010, BMW’s S 1000 RR superbike will be available at training sessions offered by Keith Code’s California Superbike School.

BMW announced pricing for the 2011 ActiveHybrid 7models during their North American debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.  BMW’s first hybrid performance/luxury sedans will arrive in showrooms in Spring 2011 with a base MSRP of $103,125 including destination and handling for the ActiveHybrid 7 and $107,025 for the long wheelbase ActiveHybrid 7L.

BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported November sales of 18,272 vehicles, a decrease of 7.5 percent from the 19,762 vehicles sold in the same month of 2008.  The BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 218,110 vehicles, down 22.5 percent compared to 281,564 vehicles sold in the first 11 months of last year.

BMW Group Asia announced the appointment of Munich Automobiles Pte Ltd as the first distributor to solely focus its retail on BMW M vehicles and M accessories in Singapore. This new company is jointly owned by Prestige Cars and Sime Darby, the parent company of Performance Motors Limited.

BMW Indonesia announced a 15% increase in sales of its BMW premium cars in Indonesia through October 2009 compared to the same 10-month period in 2008.  Sales through the end of October 2009 reached 708 units, which is almost at the level of the whole year sales of 720 units in 2008. “This virtually guarantees that we will exceed last year’s sales by a considerable degree and will give us a good momentum going into 2010”, said Mr Divyanathan.

BMW 5 Series Sedan, the synonym for aesthetics and Driving Pleasure in the premium middlerange segment, is about to take place. We are releasing a short trailer teasing at the sporting and elegant design of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan, using the kinetic sculpture from the BMW Museum to create the silhouette. CET, the kinetic sculpture trailer will be replaced by a Live-Stream  of the unveiling ceremony of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan..

BMW Group increased its global sales in October. A total of 115,252 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles were delivered to customers – a 2.0% increase over the same month last year (113,011). During the period from January to October, 1,054,811 (prev.yr. 1,226,844 / -14.0%) vehicles were sold. The company remained on its growth track in the emerging markets of China (9.558 / +81.0%), India (343 / +55.9%) and Brazil (838 / +224.8%) in October. In these markets the BMW Group was able to exceed the sales volume achieved for the whole of 2008 after just ten months

Berkshire Hathaway Inc., controlled by billionaire Warren Buffett, said it will buy freight railroad Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. for $100 a share, in a transaction worth about $44 billion. Berkshire Hathaway, which has trucking and other transportation interests, already owned about a 22% stake in BNSF and said it will split its stock 50-to-1 as part of the deal.

BMW Group increased its global sales in October. A total of 115,252 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles were delivered to customers – a 2.0% increase over the same month last year (113,011). During the period from January to October, 1,054,811 (prev.yr. 1,226,844 / -14.0%) vehicles were sold.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport are more than happy with their first year in the Superbike World Championship and are already looking forward to 2010. The team always knew that this year was going to be hard, but Troy, Ruben and the whole team have performed better than many expected in their first year of World Superbike competition, taking seventeen top finishes during the season.

BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo will make its North American debut at the South Florida International Auto Show.  For the first time, attributes of an elegant sedan, a contemporary Sports Activity Vehicle and a classic Gran Turismo are masterfully melded into a single, harmonious vehicle shape.  The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo adds new facets to BMW’s Ultimate Driving Machine tradition and refines the concept of first-class travel.

BMW Group was able to increase its sales volume for the year to the end of September 2008 by 1.7% compared to the previous year. Global deliveries reached a total of 1,113,972 automobiles (prev.yr. 1,094,849).

BMW’s extended IPTV offering (www.bmw.tv) went online on August 26, 2009. It replaces the popular previous offering, comprised of the German BMW TV website and the international site at www.mw-web.tv that achieved a combined total of more than 70 million video views.

BMW Group sold 91,790 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles worldwide in August. The decline in sales slowed for the fifth consecutive month.

BMW has made the reduction of emissions and fuel consumption a key part of its product development strategy, just as enhancements to the dynamic ability of each BMW have been a lasting, sustained brand value. BMW’s EfficientDynamics engineering philosophy – the pursuit of an enhanced, athletic driving experience while simultaneously lowering the consumption and emissions of each vehicle – resulted in the most dramatic drop in fleet consumption of any automaker from 1990 through 2005, according to an Environmental Defense study.

BMW 7 Series, the leading supplier of premium vehicles meets the most stringent safety requirements for persons at risk while traveling in their vehicles. Both, the BMW 760Li High Security and the BMW 750Li High Security are the first models in the world to be certified to BRV 2009 and both vehicles meet the requirements of the new ballistic protection level Vr7.

BMW Indonesia sponsored a major art event in Jakarta, its first foray into local cultural activities by supporting the first Indonesia art fair, Bazaar Art Jakarta 2009.

BMW Group recorded positive earnings in the second quarter 2009 despite the weak state of the global economy. Second-quarter revenues decreased to euro 12,971 million (second quarter 2008: euro 14,552 million) as a result of the drop in sales volumes. The BMW Group reports a profit before financial result (EBIT) of euro 169 million (second quarter 2008: euro 425 million).

BMW Z4 has received the 2009 International Design Excellence Award (IDEA). The award is presented annually by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), based in Dulles, Virginia.

BMW will concentrate in the coming 2010 season, on running its Formula BMW Europe and Formula BMW Pacific series. Despite challenging economic conditions in 2009, the European Formula BMW series continued to maintain 26-strong grids in its second season.

BMW Motorrad USA has announced that the long-awaited S 1000 RR sport bike, expected to arrive in U.S. dealerships in December will have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $13,800. A Pre-Sale Program is currently under way through December 31, 2009 to ensure that interested customers can secure themselves a place in line when the bike arrives in US dealerships in early 2010.

BMW Group Asia handed over a fleet of BMW 7 Series and BMW 5 Serieslimousines to the Organising Committee of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings hosted by Singapore this year. The 295 units of BMW 7 Series and BMW 5 Series, which will bear special APEC Singapore2009 licence plates, will be used as transportation for VIPs during meetings scheduled from July to November 2009.

BMW Motorrad has approved the Dunlop Roadsmart tires for use on all R 1200 RT-P police motors operated in the USA. The new Roadsmart is a premium radial tire designed to provide longer tire life and, ultimately, lower operating costs for high-performance motorcycles.

BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported June sales of 20,849 vehicles, a decrease of 20.3 percent from the 26,155 vehicles sold in the same month of 2008. The BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 114,448 vehicles, down 27.5 percent, compared to 157,913 vehicles sold in the first half of 2008.

BMW Manufacturing has won the coveted Supplier Choice Award presented every two years by Automotive News. The award is based on surveys conducted by J.D. Power across the entire automotive supplier industry in the United States.

BMW is the most popular premium car brand in Asia, according to the latest survey on Asia Pacific’s Top 1000 brand listing for 2009 by the MEDIA magazine. The company was also the top-ranked car company in China and came in third in the Top 10 Autos category, closely behind two Japanese mass-market car brands.

BMW Group supports Munich’s bid to host the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. The BMW Group is supporting the bid put together by the Bavarian state capital Munich to host the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

BMW is investing another $12 million to expand the capacity and efficiency of its landfill methane “Gas-to-Energy” program. The new system, which is nearing completion, will include two new highly-efficient gas turbine generators capable of producing 11,000 kilowatts (kW) of electricity.

BMW Group is in agreement with the direction outlined by President Obama and his Administration to have the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) work together toward one national standard for regulating future greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy. "The announcement  by President Obama is a major step in the right direction for automotive manufacturers in the United States such as the BMW Group," said Friedrich Eichiner, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG.

BMW is investing another $12 million to expand the capacity and efficiency of its landfill methane “Gas-to-Energy” program. The new system, which is nearing completion, will include two new highly-efficient gas turbine generators capable of producing 11,000 kilowatts (kW) of electricity. These two new co-generation turbines will replace four older, less-efficient turbines. The new turbines have the capability to increase electrical output from 14% up to almost 30% of the plant’s current electrical demand.

BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported April sales of 19,362 vehicles, a decrease of 38.4 percent from the 31,448 vehicles sold in the same month of 2008. The BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 70,606 vehicles, down 29.4 percent, compared to 99,977 vehicles sold in the same period a year ago. Despite the negative development in April, both BMW and MINI continue to track better than their market segments year-to-date.

BMW announced U.S. retail pricing for both the X5 M and the X6 M. The X6 M was unveiled for the first time at the New York International Auto Show. When the X5 M and X6 M go on sale this fall as 2010 model vehicles, they will retail for $86,225 and $89,725 respectively (including $825 Destination & Handling).

BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) dispatched a maintenance crew of 43 people to begin replacing railroad ties between East Winona, Wis., and St. Croix Tower, Minn. The crew is expected to replace more than 1,300 ties a day through July. This maintenance project will cost approximately $10.5 million.

BMW 7 Series already sets the benchmark in luxury performance driving - and now BMW raised the standard for maximum exclusivity, performance and luxury in this premium class. The new BMW 760Li Sedan is taking over the top position within BMW’s model portfolio, delivering the highest level of driving refinement in its segment.

BMW has awarded a new contract for the management of its warehouse operations, covering its southern operational region in Australia. The contract will see CEVA Logistics manage the receipt, storage, inventory and dispatch of service parts to BMW car dealerships in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and West Australia. The signing of the new contract extends CEVA’s relationship with BMW Group, Australia.

BMW is introducing the new 1000 RR on the legendary Monza Racing Circuit, BMW Motorrad is for the fi rst time launching an absolutely innovative supersports with a straight-four power unit. With this world debut, BMW Motorrad is indeed establishing a true milestone in the world of sports machines, combining engine output of 142 kW (193 hp) with overall weight of just 204 kg (450 lb) including fuel (183 kg/403.5 lb dry weight, 206.5 kg/455.3 lb overall with Race ABS).

BMW sought an innovative approach for the launch of the all-new BMW Z4 Roadster, and had to look no further than its rich legacy of commitment to art for inspiration. The result, an aesthetically powerful marketing campaign entitled "Expression of Joy," rolled out in early May. The campaign, which relies heavily on vibrant video content, includes an MSN.com homepage takeover with which BMW will be the first advertiser to make use of the Web site's new feature - an expandable video unit that will allow users to view the BMW Z4 spot in full-screen mode. Also, the conventional 30-second spot is complimented by a 30-minute documentary.

BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported March sales of 21,125 vehicles, a decrease of 22.9 percent over the 27,404 vehicles sold in the same month of 2008. For the first quarter, The BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 51,244 vehicles, down 25.2 percent, compared to 68,529 vehicles sold in the same period a year ago.

BMW of North America announced the names of its top performing dealerships in the US. The 31 BMW dealers out of 338 nationwide awarded the "2009 Center of Excellence Award" were selected based on the criteria of customer satisfaction, brand representation, and operational excellence

.
BMW Manufacturing Co. announced that it has begun a study into the feasibility of using wind energy on the plant site. BMW will partner with Gold Ring Power, LLC to conduct an energy audit to gather data on wind speed and patterns throughout the site. The results of the test will reveal the viability for BMW to add wind to the list of alternative energy resources used to power the facility.

BMW USA is introducing a two payment program for select models throughout its vehicle line-up. In this initiative, BMW will make the first two payments (up to $750 per month / $1,500 max.) for vehicles financed through BMW Financial Services.

BMW of North America accepted two 10 Best Engines awards from Ward's Automotive Group. As the only double winner this year, two BMW twin-turbo inline-6 engines, one diesel and one gasoline - were elected to the 10 Best Engines list for the 2009 model year by the Ward's panel of expert judges.

BMW Group will loan a fleet of 10 MINI E electric zero-emissions cars to the City of New York. These vehicles will be used in its Street Condition Observation Unit, known as SCOUT, and will be among the 500 MINI Es the BMW Group is producing as part of a one-year pilot field study to determine the viability of electric vehicles in real life use. The MINI Es will be used by SCOUT inspectors who drive New York City's streets in search of street conditions, such as potholes and graffiti. The vehicles are scheduled to begin arriving in April.

BMW of North America announced that 2009 and later model BMW vehicles (excludes X3) feature BMW's unique "Risk of Severe Injury" calculation when equipped with the BMW Assist(TM) system. If an accident occurs, this BMW-exclusive system collects data from on-board control units and transmits it automatically to the BMW Assist response center. There, the data is evaluated using a unique algorithm to determine the probability of severe injury. Rescuers can now be informed not only of where an accident took place, but also the risk of severe occupant injury.

BMW Group was, as expected, unable to match the previous year's record earnings in its sales figures for 2008 as a whole. Nevertheless, the company reported only a moderate decrease of 4.3% from 2007's high level. Last year the BMW Group delivered a total of 1,435,876 (prev.yr: 1,500,678) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles to customers worldwide. The company thus achieved the second-best sales result in its history, after 2007, and also remained the world's leading supplier of premium vehicles in 2008. The month of December was again marked by consumer reticence, with 112,423 (prev.yr.: 152,721 / -26.4%) vehicles sold.

BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles to customers between January and November 2008. The BMW Group was able to expand its market position in the premium segment over the first eleven months of the year, despite the downward trend. As the market downturn resulting from the global financial and economic crisis grew worse, sales in November decreased by 25.4% (96,570 units / prev.yr.: 129,459). Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing: "Global automotive market demand fell once again in November. However, during the period to the end of November the BMW Group performed better than the overall premium segment and has increased its market share in the segment. In addition two of our three premium brands - MINI and Rolls-Royce - continue their growth over the 2007 sales results. The MINI brand is still the world's fastest-growing premium brand."

BMW of North America, LLC announced an average price increase of 0.7 percent for BMW vehicles sold in the U.S. effective January 1, 2009. This action is driven by the ongoing structural and economical changes in the market place. It will ensure revenue generation for the company's U.S. operations and help to protect the quality of business.

BMW Sales as of November 2008 more than 50 per cent over 2007 year's comparative period. In the second half of the business year 2008, BMW M GmbH held a stable growth course. The significant increase in sales as compared to 2007 have resulted in 22,340 vehicles being sold worldwide as of November 2008.

CSR Qishuyan has won a 74.2m riyal order to supply Saudi Railways Organization with 10 diesel freight locomotives. CSR said the contract signed on July 20 is a 'breakthough' as its first order to export main line locomotives to the region. Acting President of SRO Hamada Bin Abdul Rahman Alabdul Kader said the new locomotives are needed to handle growing freight traffic. The first two will be delivered within eight months of CSR receiving the letter of credit, and the remaining eight will follow over 13 months. The contract includes three years of maintenance and staff training.

Canadian National Railway Co. said its second-quarter net income rose 21% to C$534 million, or C$1.13 per share, from C$387 million or 82 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue increased 118% to C$2.02 billion, the Montreal-based railroad said.Revenue from coal shipments grew by 40%, while shipments of car parts, metals and minerals rose by about a third.The railroad revised its full-year 2010 profit forecasts. It now expects earnings to jump 25% over last year to $3.90 per share.

Caterpillar Inc. reported a first-quarter profit compared with a loss a year ago, and boosted its sales and income forecast for the year.Its net income was $233 million, or 36 cents per share, compared with a loss of $112 million, or 19 cents, a year ago.

Cummins Inc. said its first-quarter profit jumped to $149 million, or 75 cents a share, from $7 million, or 4 cents, a year ago. Sales rose 2% to $2.48 billion, the diesel engine maker said .

CNR Corp China, one of the two largest train manufacturers in the country, is expanding its business in the urban rail transit equipment sector, which is expected to generate 900 billion yuan by 2015 - benefiting from a speed-up in the development of urban rail transportation systems..

Cummins Inc. said it has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certification for its heavy-duty and midrange 2010 engines — the heavy-duty big-bore ISX15 and midrange ISB6.7, ISC8.3 and ISL9 units.

Con-way Inc. said it lost $1.9 million, or 4 cents a share, in the fourth quarter, compared with a loss of $43 million, or 94 cents, a year earlier. Revenue was even at $1.12 billion, the company said .Less-than-truckload unit Con-way Freight’s operating income was $2.8 million, compared with an operating loss of $9.4 million in the year-ago period.

China has opened a new railway line in its Xinjiang Autonomous Region, which is expected to boost trade links with central Asia and Europe. The 381.5km rail line, called the Second Urumqi-Jinghe Line, can handle train speeds of 120kmph and has a transportation capacity of 67.1 million tonnes, which is expected to rise to 91.7 million tonnes, according to xinhuanet.com. Jinghe is linked to two land ports, Horgos and Alataw Pass, on the China-Kazakhstan border and the new rail line is expected to facilitate goods transport to Kazakhstan.

Canadian federal and local authorities have green-lighted environmental plans for the Detroit River International Crossing project, part of a plan for a new proposed bridge crossing between the U.S. and Canada. The project will link Highway 401 in Windsor to Interstate 75 in Detroit and the C$1.6 billion road and preparation work is part of the plans for an overall C$5 billion bridge project. The DRIC team is seeking a public-private partnership model to design, build and operate the new bridge, inspection plazas and feeder roads.

Caterpillar Logistics Services said it will open a new parts distribution center in Clayton, Ohio.The center, near Dayton, Ohio, will span more than 1 million square feet.Construction will begin early next year and be completed by 2011. The company estimates the facility will cost more than $50 million to build.

Chinese the Ministry of Railways has placed three orders for a total of 280 high speed trainsets and 400 freight locomotives. Knorr-Bremse is to supply subsystems worth €500m for one of the high speed contracts in the company's largest ever order. China Northern signed a 40.8bn yuan contract on September 28 to supply 140 eigth-car 350 km/h CRH3 trainsets. The manufacturer said this brings the total order for the Siemens Velaro-derived trains to 400 sets. They are to be built at CNR's Changchun and Tangshan plants, with Knorr-Bremse supplying braking, door and air-conditioning systems in 2009-12.

Caterpillar Inc. said its profit may increase by 2012. Its second-quarter profit fell by two-thirds, but boosted its full-year earnings forecast. The company earned $371 million, or 60 cents per share, down from $1.1 billion, or $1.74, a year ago.

Continental says its new ContiCostCalculator is the first system to calculate tyre running costs for trucks.  It allows operators to check the purchase and operating costs of the main truck tyre brands and shows ideal tyre choice, based on an individual operator's data. The application gives costs per kilometre and the extra additional cash from the higher payload that lower tyres weight make possible, showing six-figure cost savings for a 50-strong artic fleet.

Caterpillar Inc. said it took its first quarterly loss in 16 years. The company said it lost $112 million, or 19 cents a share, in the first quarter, compared with net income of $922 million, or $1.45, a year ago. Sales fell 22% to $9.23 billion, the company said. Caterpillar cut more than 24,000 jobs worldwide since December and has imposed temporary shut-downs, partial workweeks and pay cuts to cope with the global credit crisis and recession.

Caterpillar Inc. and Navistar International Corp. said they have agreed to jointly produce a new line of heavy-duty vocational trucks. The Caterpillar trucks will be for customers in fields from earth moving to mining and road-building, the companies said in a joint statement. The trucks will feature “key Caterpillar proprietary components and technology,” the statement said. They will be built at Navistar's plant in Garland, Texas, and sold through Caterpillar's North American dealers.

Cummins Inc. said it will consolidate turbocharger operations at two South Caroline plants and may cut jobs in the unit later this year. Cummins Turbo Technologies produces turbochargers for a range of diesel engines at two facilities in the Charleston area, which together employ about 530 people, the company said. Cummins said that while the consolidation will not result in any immediate changes in employee levels in the area, “some reductions are expected later in 2009 and in 2010 as the transition to the single location progresses.”

DB Schenker Logistics is responding to the growing need of the fashion industry for deliveries to retailers. The new Schenker A/S facility is providing high-quality logistics services to retailers in both the Nordic countries and the rest of Europe. At full capacity, the system is able to handle a minimum of one million boxes per year. The productivity and strength of the facility were already evident during the last peak season for shoes.

DB Schenker Rail has started to transport bogies manufactured in Graz from Passau to Hamburg under contract to Siemens.From there, they will continue by ship to China, where they are to be installed in high-speed passenger trains. The shipments are expected to continue until August 2011.

Daimler Trucks North America announced new three-year collective bargaining agreements with the United Auto Workers for three of its U.S. Manufacturing plants in North Carolina.

DHL signed a five-year contract with Volkswagen to handle in-plant logistics at the German car manufacturer's assembly plant in Slovakia. Under the contract, DHL Supply Chain, Deutsche Post's contract logistics unit, will manage in-plant logistics for 50 percent of the production materials for cars produced by Volkswagen at a factory in Bratislava.

DB Schenker says it has expanded its "Land Transport Gateway" hub in Peschiera Borromeo, Italy. The new Land Transport hub boasts 11,000 square metres of warehouse space, equipped with safety systems and state-of-the-art technology such as hydraulic ramps on all 53 loading docks. The hub also includes 1,500 square metres of office space and expects to run more than 22,000 shipments a month.

DB Schenker Rail, Deutsche Bahn's rail freight operator, was one of the ten top suppliers and service providers to be presented with the "Porsche Supplier Award 2010" by the Stuttgart-based carmaker in its Leipzig plant. The award went to Autotransport Logistic GmbH (ATG), who provides intermodal rail and road logistics services for Porsche.

DB Schenker Rail Automotive presented a new box for the transportation of automobile parts for Volkswagen AG in Wolfsburg. The automotive parts box will first be used to supply parts to the new Volkswagen plant in Kaluga, Russia, on behalf of Volkswagen Logistics.

Daimler AG said that it lost $478 million (352 million euros) in the fourth quarter and that it plans to cancel its annual dividend. The loss compares with a $2.08 billion (1.53 billion-euro) loss a year earlier, the German truck maker said. Sales in the quarter fell 11% to $28.9 billion (21.3 billion euros). For the full year, Daimler lost $3.58 billion (2.64 billion euros), compared with a profit of $1.91 billion (1.41 billion euros) the previous year, Bloomberg said.

Daimler AG’s truck unit said worldwide truck demand may take several more years to return to pre-recession levels.The western European market will bottom out this year and post a “slight” increase for the full year, Andreas Renschler said near Daimler’s headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.

DB Schenker has become the second largest rail freight operator in Italy after increasing its stake in NordCargo srl to 60%, the German national railway's freight subsidiary announced on January 13. DB Schenker's existing Italian subsidiary is to be merged into NordCargo.

Daimler AG has extended the contract of Andreas Renschler, head of the German corporation’s global truck-making business, for three years. Daimler said that Renschler’s contract will run through September 2013. It had been slated to expire in September 2010.

D B Schenker has launched its new "Go for Growth" program to bolster growth in its Contract Logistics business unit. The core of the four-year program will consist of investments in greatly standardized logistics solutions and industrial processes, in addition to notably expanding the company's worldwide business activities. DB Schenker Rail Polska S.A. will offer rail freight customers a new international product in cooperation with DB Schenker Rail Deutschland AG: a new through train - the Silesia Line - will run twice per week between the city of Seddin in Brandenburg and central business locations in the south of Poland (Silesia). The new train will bundle previous products and reduce transport times in Poland roughly by half.

DB Schenker Rail will put an additional 32 modern, eco friendly electric locomotives into operation for freight transportation between the Netherlands and Germany. DB Schenker Rail has had 26 comparable locomotives in operation for international transportation between the Netherlands and Germany for two years. The locomotives will be compatible both with the traditional 1,500 volt direct current overhead line voltage traditionally used in the Netherlands and with the Betuwe route (25,000 volt alternating current).

DB Schenker is constructing a $14.8 million logistics center in Bozhuriste near the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. The new facility, on the road link between Sofia and Belgrade, is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010.The 8,500 sq. mt. terminal has two private rail sidings.

DB Schenker, the transportation and logistics service provider of Deutsche Bahn, is to offer scheduled rail freight services to China after the festivities for the Chinese New Year in February. Under the product name of the Trans Eurasia Express, two container trains are initially to travel weekly to link up China with Germany in less than 20 days.

Daimler Trucks North America said it will discontinue its Sterling Trucks brand in March, eliminate 3,500 jobs and close two North American factories in an effort to streamline operations.

Daimler Trucks, plans to buy a 42% stake in Kamaz, Russia's largest truck producer, from investment company Troika Dialog, which holds 54.4% of Kamaz shares. Kamaz has been assessed at EBITDA 8-10, which is USD510mn in 2007 and expected USD642mn in 2008. Therefore, a 42% stake can be assessed at USD1.7-USD2.7bn. According to a protocol signed earlier, the deal is worth more than USD2bn, but Daimler is trying to cut the price. When the parties signed the protocol, Kamaz's value in the RTS was USD3.9bn, but is has since plummeted to USD1.76bn.

Daimler Trucks' worldwide sales are continuing to climb, despite the pronounced slump in North America, company officials told at the opening of the International Motor Show Commercial Vehicles.

Daimler Trucks North America said it will add a $9,000 surcharge to its 2010 trucks for customers who select independent manufacturer Cummins Inc.’s 2010 heavy-duty engine.It said the surcharge would apply to the 2010 Cummins ISX15 for new emissions technology needed to meet Environmental Protection Agency standards that take effect for 2010 model trucks on Jan. 1

Daimler Trucks North America said it will participate in at least seven programs totally about $33 million under a U.S. Department of Energy grant for alternative technology vehicles.

DB Schenker (DB) has reported a huge drop in both its rail and air freight volumes through the first six months of the year. Rail freight volumes fell 26% to 145m tonnes in the first six months of 2008, while air freight traffic fell 27% to 456,300 tonnes. Road freight movements fared better dropping just 7.9% to 34m, while sea freight shipments fell by 70,000teu to 650,100teu, 9.8% down.

Daimler Trucks North America will raise its heavy-duty truck prices for 2010 models by $9,000 to account for new emissions technology, with medium-duty trucks costing $6,700 to $7,300 more than 2009 models.

Daimler AG said it lost 1.02 billion euros ($1.4 billion), or 0.99 euros per share ($1.40) in the second quarter, compared with a profit of 1.35 billion euros ($1.9 billion), or 1.40 euros ($1.97), a year ago. Revenue for the first quarter fell 25% to 19.6 billion euros ($27.6 billion). Daimler Trucks’ sales in the quarter fell 56% to 54,134 units, the company said.

Deutsche Bahn has finalized the acquisition of PCC Logistics Group. The agreement defining purchase terms for the largest privately-owned freight railroad in Poland had been signed in Warsaw at the end of January. The EU Commission approved the takeover on June 12.

DB Schenkera subsidiary of DB Schenker Rail Automotive, received Volkswagen Group’s “Group Award 2009”. The “Volkswagen Group Award” is awarded annually to suppliers in recognition of their overall entrepreneurial performance.

DB Schenker is the largest overland transport operator in Europe, according to the rankings released in Transport Intelligence’s latest report, European Road Transport & Logistics 2009.When taking into account all road and rail freight revenues, the German freight giant was almost twice the size of its nearest rival, SNCF (Transport & Logistics) in second place.

DB Schenker Rail Porshe AG car bodies for the Gran Turismo Panamera from Hanover to Leipzig. As of August, the production in Leipzig is expected to be insofar initiated that three block trains with 24 cars each will leave for Leipzig per week. “We have been a partner to Porsche for 25 years; since 2002, we have transported car bodies for the Cayenne to the Leipzig plant by rail. We are pleased about the fact that Porsche has once again chosen our logistics services and that DB Schenker Rail is able to follow the trends in the automotive industry”, said Dr. Norbert Bensel, CEO DB Schenker.

DB Schenker Logistics has now positioned itself to meet the increasing demand for rail-related logistics throughout Europe. The “DB SCHENKERrailog” service epitomizes logistics concepts incorporating rail. This service is a component of the land transport services offered by DB Schenker and the national companies. Five regions coordinate activities in the countries from Sweden to Italy, from France to Greece and to Turkey.

Dana Holding Corp. and Menlo Worldwide Logistics said they have expanded their relationship, with the parts manufacturer asking the third-party logistics provider to handle transportation management for its Mexican operations. Statement from Menlo, San Mateo, Calif., said the 3PL will manage intra-Mexican and cross-border shipments for Dana facilities in Mexico City, Toluca, Monterrey, Chihuahua and Queretaro.

Daimler AG said it lost $1.68 billion in the first quarter, compared with a profit of $1.73 billion a year ago. Revenue for the first quarter fell 26% to about $24.8 billion. Daimler is considering discontinuing cutting back its truck operations in Asia and, combined with some plant closures in North America and hours cutbacks in Europe, that will likely match with lower demand.

DB Schenker Rail has begun transporting some containers for the Shipping Corporation of India in the UK, working with its agent Escombe Lambert. The UK division of Europe’s biggest rail company will move boxes to and from the Port of Felixstowe and inland terminals at Birmingham (BIFT) and Wakefield.The Indian shipping line has been using rail in the UK since the start of April and is looking to increase its modal shift from road. Rick Alphonso, general manager of Escombe Lambert, said: “The Shipping Corporation of India has added a third vessel to its India Subcontinent to Europe service, which will increase the number of units in and out of Felixstowe providing the platform to increase future rail movements.”

Daimler AG plans to cut its labor costs by 2 billion euros, or about $2.7 billion, by trimming hours and wages for 73,000 non-production workers in Germany and by delaying a pay increase.

Deutsche Bahn is planning the construction of a 260 km freight railway line to China. Experts from Deutsche Bahn will be responsible for the overall planning of the project. The project involves a 260 km railway line for the transportation of coal to the Chinese border. DB Mobility Logistics subsidiary, DB International, has already prepared a preliminary study for the planned mine railway. The agreed order volume amounts to almost €4 million, and the overall project planning is estimated at around €15 million. Total investment for this rail project is expected to add up to US$800 million. An important transit country between China and Russia, Mongolia is also assuming an increasingly significant role for rail freight traffic between Asia and Europe.

Daimler AG said it took its first quarterly loss in nearly two years on declining sales.The company lost $1.9 billion in the fourth quarter, compared with earning $1.7 billion a year ago. Expenses from Chrysler, in which Daimler owns a 20% stake, removed about $2.5 billion from the earnings.Its truck division's profit plunged 83% to about $109 million.

Eaton Corp. Vehicle parts manufacturer said its first-quarter profit was $155 million, or 91 cents a share, compared with a loss of $50 million, or 30 cents, a year ago, as truck segment sales improved.

Eurail Group GIE, which is an organisation to sell Eurail passes across the world, is buoyant about its growth prospect from India. In view of the emergence of the country as an economic force, Eurail Group has decided to strengthen its marketing effort in India through its distribution arms (existing two GSAs) and travel agents.

Eurail Group G.I.E. will be conducting marketing seminars in New Delhi and Mumbai. This is the first time Eurail Group will organize a marketing campaign in India, which indicates its great enthusiasm and confidence in tapping into this currently unexplored market. 

European Rail Industry and the International Union of Railways (UIC) have agreed to work together in the field of voluntary rail standardisation and to jointly publish Technical Recommendations (TecRecs). Jean Pierre Loubinoux, UIC Director General, and Eric Fontanel, UNIFE General Manager, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise this agreement TecRecs are the recently created vehicle for publishing UIC/UNIFE standards that will initially be applied to the European rolling stock domain and its interfaces with other subsystems. Pending the publication of a European standard for rail rolling stock technology (EN), a TecRec will serve as a common standard aimed at improving the competitiveness of the European railway system.

EGL brand that left the market when the old Eagle Global Logistics was swallowed up by Ceva, a new company called Encompass Global Logistics recently launched operations. Encompass Global Logistics opened offices in Dallas, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong. EGL will offer fully integrated global supply chain services to international and domestic customers.

Etihad Trains Company'. has given approval for a federal government owned railways company by His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.It's aim is to contribute to all businesses related to a modern railway network, which shall link all parts of the UAE.

Eurail Group GIE has launched an interactive new website, Eurailtravel.com. that aims to inspire those who want to experience the freedom of discovering the vast variety of countries that comprise this exciting continent.

Eaton Corp. Vehicle parts manufacturer said it lost $52 million on the first quarter as sales slumped.The company’s 30-cent per-share loss compared with a profit of $247 million, or $1.64 per share, a year ago. Sales fell 20% to $2.81 billion.Its truck segment’s sales fell 49% to $292 million and the unit posted an operating loss of $34 million.Eaton in February had forecast a 25- to 35-cent per-share loss, down from an earlier forecast of flat earnings.

Ford Motor Co. posted a $2.1 billion first-quarter profit and said it would be profitable this year. Net income per share was 50 cents for the quarter, compared with last year, when the automaker lost $1.4 billion, or 60 cents per share, at the height of the recession.

Fast Company magazine has ranked BMW Group Designworks USA as the world’s “#1 Most Innovative Company in Design,” and among the “Most Innovative Companies for 2010.”  This recognition appears in the March 2010 issue of Fast Company magazine, which selects the world’s most innovative companies from 24 categories including design, advertising & marketing, mobile, biotechnology, energy, film & television, food, media, healthcare, music, and sports.

Ford Motor Co. said it earned $997 million in the third quarter, had its first operating profit since early 2008 and that it expects to be “solidly profitable” in 2011.It reported a quarterly net profit of 29 cents a share, compared with net loss of $161 million, or 7 cents, a year earlier, Bloomberg said.

FedEx Corp. said that its FedEx Express subsidiary will purchase 51 new gasoline-electric hybrid step vans. After the vans are delivered at the end of the year, FedEx’s fleet will contain 325 hybrid and electric vehicles, FedEx said. The new vehicles will be purchased from Azure Dynamics Corp., Oak Park, Mich., a company that specializes in hybrid and electric powertrain systems for commercial vehicles. FedEx said that the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will provide a grant for the hybrid vehicles.

Ford Mondeo cars to be produced at a Ford car plant near Russia's second largest city of St. Petersburg have gone on sale in Russia. The company officially launched the sale of Russian-produced Ford Mondeo cars on April 1. The Russian plant, which began manufacturing the Mondeo in early March, will initially produce six different models of the saloon version at prices ranging between 600 000 rubles ($17 670) and 938 000 rubles ($27 620).

GAC Dubai has successfully moved a special shipment of Silver Tip Sharks, from Cairns in Australia to the United Arab Emirates. “Though it was the first time this particular species had undergone such a long haul journey, thanks to the seamless work by GAC this was one of the smoothest shark transports that I have ever been a part of,” says Paul Hamilton, Curator of Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo at The Dubai Mall, the two sharks’ new home. “They arrived in such good condition and with minimum stress that they started feeding within 40 minutes after being introduced into their new environment.”

Guangzhou Automobile Co. Ltd (GAC) and MIRA have signed a contract for MIRA to provide support on a new vehicle programme for GAC. Through a combined GAC/MIRA team of engineers, this engineering programme will help GAC to deliver its new passenger car to the market. IRAs involvement has been pivotal to the success of vehicle programmes for many global OEMs and with many of its emerging market customers, has gained a strong reputation for the provision of technology transfer oriented engineering services.

GSC Logistics, Inc., (GSC) announced that its truck fleet is fully compliant with new emission regulations mandated by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Committed to helping protect the environment from dangerous greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, GSC proactively met the strict CARB standards on October 1, 2009-three months ahead of the January 1, 2010 directive for 'clean' drayage equipment operating in the state of California's Port of Oakland.

GMR Group’s sixth national highway project, Tindivanam to Ulundurpet measuring 73 km on NH-45 on the Chennai -Dindigul National Highway, has commenced commercial operation on July 23, 2009. This is the Group’s Second National Highway Project in Tamilnadu. With this project, it has developed and is operating 421 Kms of national highways, making it one of the top BOT concessionaires in the country.

General Motors is going to launch the production of the most popular car model Opel Astra in Saint-Petersburg. The GM automotive plant in Saint-Petersburg will start a test assembly of Opel Astra in October. A high-volume production will start in March 2010. Astra will be assembled on the same platform as Chevrolet Cruze the production of which is scheduled for summer.

GM and Chrysler bankruptcies have added to the overcapacity in the Michigan freight market, both inbound and outbound, Announcement by GM and President Obama represents the largest industrial bankruptcy.

GMR Group led consortium has emerged as the lowest bidder in an international competitive bid for the Chennai Outer Ring Road (ORR) project in Tamilnadu on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Trasfer (Annuity) basis. The Letter of Award is expected to be issued by the Government of Tamilnadu in the next few days. This is the Group's first state highway project.

GMR Infrastructure Limited has won the prestigious Hyderabad – Vijayawada highway project on a Build, Operate and Trasfer (Toll) basis thorugh international competitive bidding route. This is seventh highway project of GMR Group after successfully completing six projects as per schedule. The project measuring 181 kms on NH-9 entails designing, engineering, finance, procurement, construction, operation and maintainance of the four-six laning of the Hyderabad – Vijayawada section in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

General Motors Corp. will idle 13 U.S. assembly plants for several months this summer to trim inventory after U.S. sales fell 49% this year in the first quarter. The No. 1 U.S. automaker plans to reduce production by 190,000 vehicles from May through July, GM said.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. said it lost $330 million in the fourth quarter as sales slumped 7% and that it would cut almost 5,000 jobs. The company said it plans to reduce its costs by about $700 million in 2009, including cutting nearly 5,000 jobs on top of the 4,000 cuts in the second half of last year and freezing salaries. Sales fell to $4.1 billion from $5.2 billion a year earlier.

General Motors Corp. and Chrysler have asked the U.S. government to more than double their combined $17.4 billion in loans to about $39 billion.The companies also said they will also cut about 50,000 more jobs worldwide, eliminate vehicle models and take other cost-cutting measures, the plans said.

HoggRobinson Group (HRG) has launched an innovative ground transportation solution. HRG Ground Transportation is the first fully integrated service available in the industry and enables businesses to incorporate their ground transportation requirements into corporate travel programmes to deliver real savings in cost, time and resources.

Hertz UAE has launched the second phase of its AED60 million expansion programme with the opening its new branch in the Dubai Marina area.

Honda has cautiously welcomed government plans to offer UK consumers £2,000 (US$2,910) to scrap their old cars when they buy a new one. A Honda spokesman said the headlines of the scheme looked promising but until the full-details of what it entailed had emerged it would be hard to say how much of an impact it would make to car sales. The scheme will be available to a maximum of 300,000 consumers, the cars being scrapped must be over 10-years-old and it will expire in March next year.The government will pay half of the £2,000 while the manufacturer of the new car that is bought will pay the remaining £1,000.

Indian Railways have carried 292.50 million tonnes of revenue earning freight traffic during April-July 2010. The freight carried shows an increase of 7.49 million tonnes over the freight traffic of 285.01 million tonnes actually carried during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 2.63 per cent. During the month of July 2010, the revenue earning freight traffic carried by Indian Railways was 74.15 million tonnes. There is an increase of 2.38 million tonnes over the actual freight traffic of 71.77 million tonnes carried by the Indian Railways during the same period last year, showing an increase of 3.32 per cent.

Indian Railways has been asked by Planning Commission for funding plan for the dedicated freight corridors, which were envisaged almost a decade ago but have not made much progress, saying the current plan does not take into account the cost escalation. The Plan panel is concerned that the cost of the ambitious project could escalate to as much as Rs 1 lakh crore by the time it is completed in 2016, which is not reflected in the current financing plan of the Railways. The cost of constructing the two stretches of the dedicated freight corridor — the eastern one running from Ludhiana to Dankuni and the western one from Navi Mumbai port to Tughlakhabad — was initially pegged at Rs 28,000 crore, but over the years has risen significantly due to the addition of new segments and time overruns.

Indian Railways' earnings grew by 7.04 per cent to Rs 22,061.13 crore during April-June this year as against Rs 20,610.63 crore in the same period of the last financial year, an official sttement said.  The total goods earnings of the Railways went up from Rs. 13,927.05 crore during April-June last year to Rs 14,930.11 crore in the corresponding period of this year, an increase of 7.20 per cent, it said. The total passenger revenue earnings during April-June this year were Rs. 6,190.70 crore as against Rs. 5,802.66 crore during the same period last year, registering an increase of 6.69 per cent.The revenue earnings from other coaching amounted to Rs. 626.01 crore during April-June 2010 compared to Rs. 577.78 crore during the same period last year, an increase of 8.35 per cent.

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, launched a train tour package to Kashmir. In this endeavour, IRCTC office in Mumbai has launched an exclusive 7 night and 8 days package to Kashmir at a price of Rs 13,799 per person.

Indian Railways have carried 803.50 million tonnes of revenue earning freight traffic during April 2009-Febuary 2010. The freight carried shows an increase of 52.20 million tonnes over the freight traffic of 751.30 million tonnes actually carried during the corresponding period last year, an increase of 6.95%.

Indian Railways will launch special tourist trains called ‘Bharat Tirth’ connecting popular tourist sites in different parts of the country to support the government’s effort of promoting tourism in the country.

IndianRailways have generated Rs. 42146.84 crore of revenue earnings from commodity-wise freight traffic during April-December 2009 as compared to Rs. 38278.55 crore during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 10.11 percent. Railways carried 652.63 million tonnes of commodity-wise freight traffic during April-December 2009 as compared to 606.74 million tonnes carried during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 7.56 percent.

Indian freight industry is expected to grow at a rate of 10 per cent in the near future. This was stated in a recent report titled, 'Freight transport industry in India 2009-2014' released by Novonous. The report states that the future growth of the Indian freight industry is fuelled by the growth of India's gross domestic product (over 7 per cent presently) and the double digit growth rates witnessed by the manufacturing industry. The freight transportation industry trends indicate that freight operations, which are port-based are predicted to grow at 20 to 25 per cent, with the proposed capacity additions at major and minor ports.

Indian Railways the traffic earnings of went up by almost 18 per cent in November against the corresponding period last fiscal. The Railways mopped up Rs 4,810.52 crore (Rs 4,082.36 crore) in November, up 17.8 percent. The growth was supported by higher loadings, and thus higher earnings from coal, steel, iron ore and fertilisers. For the eight-month period, the Railways generated Rs 37,030.48 crore of revenue from freight traffic compared with Rs 33,638.30 crore during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 10.08 percent, said.

IVECO, has awarded Kuehne + Nagel with a renewal of its current logistics service contract for a further period of three years. As IVECO’s preferred logistics service provider, Kuehne + Nagel is managing the majority of their European aftermarket supply.

Indian Railways traffic earnings went up by almost 18 per cent in November against the corresponding period last fiscal. The Railways mopped up Rs 4,810.52 crore (Rs 4,082.36 crore) in November, up 17.8 percent. The growth was supported by higher loadings, and thus, higher earnings from coal, steel, iron ore and fertilisers. For the eight-month period, the Railways generated Rs 37,030.48 crore of revenue from freight traffic compared with Rs 33,638.30 crore during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 10.08 per cent.

Indian freight industry is expected to grow at a rate of 10 per cent in the near future. This was stated in a recent report titled, 'Freight transport industry in India 2009-2014' authored by Novonous. The report indicates that the future growth of the Indian freight industry is fuelled by the growth of India's gross domestic product (over 7 per cent presently) and the double digit growth rates witnessed by the manufacturing industry. The freight transportation industry trends indicate that freight operations, which are port-based are predicted to grow at 20 to 25 per cent, with the proposed capacity additions at major and minor ports. According to the Novonous estimates, rail freight will witness steady but less spectacular growth, given the predominance of the state-controlled Indian Railways and is likely to record a growth rate of 10 per cent. Air freight will also witness a growth rate of 8.5 per cent.

Indian Railways is introducing Track Management System (TMS) to help field engineers in optimal, efficient and effective resource allocation (man, machine and material) and decision making. Track management system will work as a useful tool to make the inspection more focused and objective.

International Railway Systems of Europe has announced a contract to supply 'several hundred' 95m3 Zacns tank wagons to leasing firm GATX Rail Europe in 2009-10, with options for more. Johannes Mansbart, CEO of GATX Rail Europe, said the time was right for the order 'as we have a very long term outlook and commitment in the markets'. He explained that 'although markets are flat', customers want 'to optimise their fleet's efficiencies and to seek the best tank cars available to date'.

IndianRailway Ministry is considering a proposal under which the box train operators may be allowed to pick up such commodities as cement, foodgrains, chemicals, fertilisers, and iron and steel. As of now, there is lack of clarity on whether these operators can pick up these commodities that have traditionally been loaded in railway wagons. The container train operators have been pursuing with the Railway Ministry to receive some benefits similar to the liberalised wagon investment scheme (LWIS).

Indian Railways will, for the first time, undertake coal transportation in foreign shores through its subsidiary RICON, a consortium formed by two Railway undertakings IRCON and RITES, which has been given a 25 year concession to rehabilitate, operate and upgrade 850 km long rail line in Central Mozambique, at an estimated cost of about US$ 440 million.

International Union of Railways (UIC) launches UIC Rail environmental Indicators for monitoring and comparing performance The UIC Leaflet nr 330 “Railway specific environmental performance indicators” has defined six key performance indicators for the rail sector on issues such as energy and climate, air pollution and noise. These indicators enable railways to monitor their environmental performance and to compare themselves to other modes of transport.

Istituto Marangoni won the European competition The design:project, the Mercedes-Benz design competition which accompanies GLK market launch.

IBS Software and TRL, the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory have entered into an MoU to develop technology solutions that can redefine the future of road transportation. The MoU also covers a number of technology-focused research and development activities, as well as training, on matters involving road transport management and safety.

Indian railway ministry is going to start negotiations with state governments for identifying locations for setting up of multi-modal logistics parks (MMLPs) along the Diamond Rail Corridors (dedicated freight corridors), an official at the railway ministry revealed. Talks will be held with the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal to facilitate the establishment of these hubs.

Intertanko’s Tanker Officer Training Standards (TOTS) initiative has won the Seatrade Award for the category of Investment in People which recognises a significant contribution to the recruitment, training, retention and advancement of the industry’s most valuable asset, its people.

Intertanko encourages the early establishment by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of target levels for the energy efficiency for new ships, in its recent submission to the upcoming IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee.

IBM announced it is working with Volkswagen Group, Europe's leading vehicle manufacturer, to improve the automaker's material logistics operations through the use of sensor technology.

Indian Railways ministry has invited applications for the development of multi- modal logistic parks on public-private partnership basis. These parks will be built along the rail- ways' much awaited project-the 3,300 km Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC). It is envisaged that large areas of land measuring more than 300 to 400 hec- tares each would be selected for the development of MMLPs. The logistic parks project consists of a few mega multi-modal logistic parks. These will act as hubs and will pro- vide state-of-the-art integrated logistics facilities. The overall plan is to set up almost 20 logistic parks, which are estimated to involve an investment of about Rs 10,000 crore.

International Union of Railways (UIC) congratulated the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) and its Chief Executive Mr Süleyman Karaman on the opening of the first section of the high speed line between Ankara, the administrative capital, and Eskisehir on the Ankara-Istanbul line.

Indian government's railway ministry has invited expressions of interest (EoI) for the development of multi-modal logistic parks proposed to be set up, through public-private partnerships, along the railways' flagship project, the 3,300-km Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC). The proposed DFC project, an important infrastructure ramp-up project for India, aims to link Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata with high speed connectivity for exclusive freight movement.

Indian Railways, the Indian Railway Catering Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), has tied up with travel company Cox & Kings India (CKI) to launch a pan-India luxury rail service which is expected to start running in the third quarter of next year. Under the agreement reached between the two parties, IRCTC will run the train while CKI will be responsible for the marketing. The estimated cost of the new project is around INR 500 million, with both parties sharing the profit as per the agreement. This is for the first time that Indian Railways has decided to run a luxury train.

Indian Railways will invest around US$ 6.6 billion to upgrade its infrastructure, including renewal of 2,941 km railway tracks and renewal of sleeper sheets along 2,382 km of railway lines. The state-run enterprise said in a statement that the investment would shore up its infrastructural development and upkeep and would greatly help in boosting the Indian economy. The railways have manufactured 3,000 coaches. It is also developing 23 world class stations, while construction work on four such stations has already started. Work is in progress for developing 300 railway stations into model stations.

Indian Railways has earned a revenue of INR 39. 09 billion through e-ticketing scheme till November in 2008, which is nearly double the profit it made during the last fiscal. According to railway sources, the income is expected to increase further by the end of the year. In the fiscal year 2007-08, the Railways earned INR12.96 billion from the facility. The e-ticketing facility was launched by Indian Railways in 2005. Under the scheme, passengers can book their tickets using internet by opting any of the two options: e-ticket and i-ticket.

Jordan became the 46th member of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail on August 1, and the first member to accede with associate status. When planned international rail services develop the country will seek full voting membership of OTIF, which provides a legal framework for international rail transport.

Janel World Logistics major says for the 12 months ended September 30, 2009, it had revenues of US$71,852,806, down 13 per cent on fiscal 2008.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services said its third-quarter net income rose 19% to $60.3 million, or 47 cents a share, from $50.8 million, or 38 cents, a year ago.

Kerry Logistics will build a new 42,000 sq.m. logistics centre in Xiamen, Fujian Province, Mainland China, preparing the way for a significant increase in trade between the coastal city and Taiwan. The new facility demonstrates Kerry Logistics commitment to strengthen its distribution network by continually building logistics centres in China.  Situated in the Haicang Export  Processing Zone, this development ties in with the government strategy to facilitate trade across the Straits.  

Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) for the first time reported a net profit of around Rs 3 crore in 2009-10. “Initially, records indicated that it had brought down net loss to Rs 10 crore in 2009-10 from Rs 79 crore registered a year earlier. However, fresh numbers, which have come in, show it has broken even last fiscal, making a net profit of around Rs 2.84 crore.

Kuehne + Nagel has opened a new distribution centre near Riga in order to strengthen its position in the contract logistics market in the Baltic region, Designed to serve as the central hub for Kuehne + Nagel’s logistics activities in the Baltic region, the new centre will enable the world’s number three provider of contract logistics services to further expand its portfolio of integrated supply chain management solutions.

Kerry Logistics completed a strategically important piece in its Vietnam network when it opened the first phase of its new logistics centre in Danang in Central Vietnam. The facility will provide some 9,000 sq m of space when completed in the second half of 2010.

Kellogg Joint Venture, a consortium under contract of Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell, has awarded DB Schenker the contract to provide worldwide and national transport for the Gorgon Project, a major gas project in Australia. The project has a total investment volume of 25 billion making  it the biggest gas production undertaking in Australia, and currently one of the largest in the world.

Kuehne + Nagel has been awarded a contract to manage the BMW South Africa Parts and Accessories Distribution Centre in Midrand.

Kerry Asia Road Transport (KART), a member of Kerry Logistics and the Thailand-based road transport specialist, is launching a new service between Kunming in China and Bangkok connecting its South East Asian network to China. KART will also add another route from Guangxi province in China to Vietnam later in the year. KART is a pioneer in building the first ASEAN cross border trucking service linking up ASEAN countries particularly Thailand and Malaysia providing a door-to-door service throughout the region. In China, we have built a nationwide transport and logistics platform for more than 20 years and will now connect with the KART network through its Kunming transport hub in China's South West.

Kerala government in south India, has approved the proposed INR 30.48-billion Metro Rail project at Kochi. The project, which will be on similar lines to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, will be a joint venture between the state government and the central government. The project will cover a 26-km stretch between Tripunithura and Aluva towns, near Kochi, and is expected to be completed in three years.

Lindner Depa Interiors ('Lindner Depa'), a leading international interior contractor, has been awarded a second Dubai Metro contract worth AED245 million for the fit-out of 11 stations on the Metro’s Green Line. The project is to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2010.

London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has announced that BMW has become the Automotive Partner of London 2012. BMW will provide the 4000 or so vehicles which are required at the Games to transport athletes, technical officials, media, LOCOG operational teams, national Olympic Committees, International Sports Federations, the IOC and marketing partners. In addition, BMW becomes a Sustainability Partner supporting London 2012’s commitment to deliver its ‘low carbon’ and ‘healthy living’ Games.

Logistics Council Germany (LCG) is promoting the country as the gateway to Europe for Korean industrial and trading companies for the first time; the aim is to strengthen German-Korean trade relations in the logistics sector. Germany is presenting its logistics credentials at the “Korea Railways & Logistics Fair 2009” in Busan. The Logistics Council Germany (LCG) is advertising the strengths of using Germany as a logistics base and its potential to act as the gateway to Europe and the world for export-oriented South Korean companies; this is taking place at the largest railway fair in Asia.

Landstar System said its first-quarter net income fell to $13.9 million, or 27 cents a share, from $23.7 million, or 45 cents, a year ago.Revenue for the quarter ended March 28 fell to $469.2 million, from $608.8 million a year ago, the company said. Loads hauled in the quarter were about 17% below those hauled a year ago, Chief Executive Officer Henry Gerkens said.

Logistics Council Germany is upbeat about its first trade fair presentation abroad at the CeMAT India, which took place in the Southern Indian city of Bangalore on 10-13 December. In conjunction with high-ranking offices from the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, the marketing initiative set up by the German government was able to awaken the interest of many Indian companies in the potential for using Germany as their logistics base and gateway to European markets.

Moody's Investors Service has assigned an Aa2 rating to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's $400 million 163rd Series of Consolidated Bonds. They also have affirmed the Aa2 rating on the authority's outstanding Consolidated Bonds and the A1 rating on the Versatile Structure Obligations (VSOs). The ratings carry a stable outlook.

Mexico will gradually reopen a toll highway linking Monterrey, Mexico, to Laredo, Texas, to large commercial trucks only and exempt them from paying tolls, Bloomberg reported. Flooding from the Salado River that closed the highway has receded to the point that large trucks can safely pass, Mexico’s Communication and Transportation Ministry said in a statement.

Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation is planning to fit Alternating Current (AC) traction motors or engines in the second lot of new-age trains expected to come in two years. AC traction motors will be beneficial, specially when the railways complete converting the 1,500 volts Direct Current (DC) line to 25,000 volts AC line.

MINI’s newest dealership in the US, has opened its doors for business, and celebrated its grand opening in MINI’s typical fun fashion. The new facility was built to relocate MINI of Towson, one of the first dealerships to sell MINI vehicles when the brand was introduced to US customers in 2002.

MINI is proudly accepted the Polk Automotive Loyalty Award for highest loyalty in the compact car segment during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

MINI brand vehicle is being named as one of IntelliChoice’s ‘Best Overall Value of the Year’ (BOVY) winners.

MINI crosses borders, enters new dimensions of driving pleasure, and wins over additional target groups by expanding the model range and the creativity of MINI design. MINI demonstrates its potential for additional product lineup growth and further enhanced driving pleasure with the MINI Beachcomber Concept. This brand-new concept vehicle will proudly be presented by MINI at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

MINI vehicles have long been known for maintaining their overall value, and the company is proud to accept multiple awards for resale and residual value during the LA Auto Show from both Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com and ALG. “The resale value awards that MINI received this week further reinforce that a MINI brand vehicle purchase is a wise investment,” said Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA.

Middle East countries to invest over US$100bn on rail project. With rapid rise in population and traffic on the roads, governments in the Gulf and Middle East have recognised the urgent need for developing the railway system and are investing more than US$100 billion for quality rail infrastructure in the coming years in order to stimulate and sustain the economy.

Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks North America will merge into a single corporate entity, the Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.Mack spokesman John Mies told the newspaper the change is only an organizational change within Volvo AB, and that it will not affect either brand. Mack and Volvo will keep separate sales organizations and vehicle lines

MINI USA automaker of the iconic and uniquely individualizable line of passenger cars that made small cars cool announced a partnership with Lakewood, Colorado-based Original Wraps, Inc., a leading provider of on-demand and physical personalization. The partnership provides MINI enthusiasts the availability of interior/exterior graphics and complete personalization of their vehicles through a new Web portal - www.MINImotoringgraphics.com., which is currently live.U.S. Department of Transportation is giving $1.1 million grant to the Minnesota Department of Transportation on work that must proceed to existing rails that allow a connection between Duluth and Minneapolis. MnDOT will study how it can use existing tracks to allow trains to travel as fast as 110 miles per hour. The goal of the rail line is to be competitive with car travel from Minneapolis to the Duluth-Superior area, according to project officials. Planners want to have stations in outlying northern Minneapolis suburbs where commuters could use the train to ride to Minneapolis. The 150-mile line, called Northern Lights Express, could cost as much as $400 million with service beginning in 2012.

Maersk Line’s owner has raised US$1.6bn through a share issue and plans to use the money for investment opport-unities.AP Moller Maersk Nils Andersen said: “Through the sale of our treasury shares, we will strengthen our financial flexibility and increase our readiness to take advantage of possible, attractive investment opportunities which may arise as a consequence of the economic crisis.”

Madhya Pradesh is developing what could be termed as the country's first state-developed integrated logistics hub at Pawarkheda in Hoshangabad district. It is part and parcel of the state government's plan for making Madhya Pradesh the warehousing and logistics hub of the country. Spearheading the activities is MP Warehousing and Logistics Corporation (MPWLC), which has already identified three strategic locations at Pawarkheda, Jabalpur (Jabalpur district) and Ratlam (Ratlam district) for development.

MINI USA is gathering valuable, real-world data from 450 drivers of MINI E electric-powered vehicles. These vehicles are now in daily use in metropolitan New York, New Jersey and Los Angeles, where they are being driven by private customers, municipalities, universities, public utilities, non-profit and commercial organizations. Since the field trials began in June, these experiences have been fed back to MINI USA, with users describing what it is like to live with, and to drive a vehicle that has a purely electric drivetrain.

Moody's Investors Service has assigned a Aa3 rating to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's 157th, 158th and 159th Series of Consolidated Bonds. We also have affirmed the Aa3 rating on the authority's outstanding Consolidated Bonds and the A1 rating on the Versatile Structure Obligations (VSOs). The ratings carry a stable outlook.

Moody's Investors Service has affirmed the B3 corporate family rating of Tata Motors Ltd ("TML"). The outlook on the rating is changed to stable from negative. The company refinanced the bridge loan through the issuance of Rs.42 billion (US$840 million) of secured non-convertible rupee debentures, prepayment of US$176 million through its fixed-deposits scheme, and the roll over of the US$1 billion remaining balance of the original bridge loan for 18 months up to December 31, 2010.

MINI dips its toe into the stylistic future of travel. Teaming up with renowned brands Airstream and Republic of Fritz Hansen(TM), the carmaker has embraced the theme of "mobile living" in developing an innovative design study with a down-by-the beach feel. The collaboration has spawned a unique combination of a 6.80-metre-long Airstream trailer and a modified MINI Cooper S Clubman, one whose appeal extends beyond the reaches of the watersports scene. Danish furniture design brand Republic of Fritz Hansen(TM) has kitted the iconic American travel trailer out with new interpretations of design classics and given both the trailer and the MINI a revamped look from the wheels up.

Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks North America said they are offering diesel particulate filters that can be retrofitted on older-model trucks so that they can be operated in compliance with new California emission requirements. The companies said the filters are designed to work with engines sold from 1996 through early 2002. A retrofit device is being developed for model year 2002-2006 trucks built to meet the emission standards that were in place at that time.

MINI will introduce the next generation of its celebrated four-seat convertible at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Joining the 2009 MINI Convertibles on the show floor is the MINI E, the first electric car deployed by a manufacturer of premium automobiles for private use in daily traffic.

NeilPryde, the world’s leading brand of Windsurfing Sails and Rig Supplies, announces the launch of its two high performance road bikes. Developed in collaboration with DesignworksUSA, a global design consultancy and subsidiary of the BMW Group, Alize and Diablo marks an extension of the NeilPryde brand into the bike industry.

National Highways Authority of India will award five mega road projects involving an investment of over Rs 25,000 crore during the current financial year. These five projects are part of the National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) plan to build nine big-ticket highways (those involving Rs 5,000 crore or above investment and covering nearly 500 km) which would add substantially to the existing network of 71,000 km.

Navistar International Corp. said its first-quarter profit fell to $17 million, or 23 cents per share, from $234 million, or $3.27, a year ago.Revenue for the fiscal quarter ended Jan. 31 slipped to $2.81 billion from $2.97 billion in the same period last year, the company said.

Navistar International Corp. said it has chosen Menlo Worldwide Logistics to be its global lead logistics provider. Menlo, the global supply chain management subsidiary of Con-way Inc., will manage Navistar's global transportation providers and regional warehouses, Navistar said .

Nissan says its new, alloy-bodied 4.5 tonne Cabstar recovery truck has a 2.336 tonne payload. The body gives a 4.950x1.950m deck area and the truck is plated for an 8.0 tonne gross train weight to give a trailer and payload capacity of 5.6t. Prices start at £26,900 and options include rear-axle air suspension, a 7.5 tonne electric winch, a 150hp diesel rather than the standard 130hp unit and a five-seat crew cab.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will require a cut of 30% in the allowable stopping distance for the majority of new trucks beginning in 2011, the agency said. Currently, trucks must make that stop within 355 feet.

Navistar International Corp. said it has chosen Menlo Worldwide Logistics to be its global lead logistics provider. Menlo, the global supply chain management subsidiary of Con-way Inc., will manage Navistar's global transportation providers and regional warehouses, Navistar said .

Nuqul Group has signed an agreement with Aramex wherein Aramex will provide comprehensive supply chain solutions to support Nuqul Group's pioneering ABC4Office project, enabling the Kingdom's medium to large businesses to maximize their office efficiency. ABC4Office offers complete business solutions under one roof through the provision of wide-ranging, high quality office product brands in line with international Service Excellence Standards, thus increasing the productivity and effectiveness of small projects and helping businesses achieve their goals.

Navistar International Corp. and Ford Motor Co. said they have settled litigation and ended a diesel-engine supply agreement. The two will end their diesel engine supply agreement at the end of this year, but will continue to collaborate on initiatives including their existing Blue Diamond Truck and Parts joint ventures, Navistar said. The companies will still work together in a joint venture that sells Ford F-650 and F-750 medium duty trucks, Navistar said.

Nepal and India have signed an agreement to amend the four-year-old 'Rail Service Agreement' between the two countries, to further expand the rail services. The new agreement allows transport of goods by both containers and tank wagons to and from integrated check post (ICP) in Birgunj, in Nepal, near the India-Nepal border.Under the agreement Nepal can import edible oil, palm oil and petroleum products from Calcutta port on tank wagons. This will facilitate full utilisation of the ICP constructed with funding from World Bank and government of India in April 2004. This will promote Nepal's exports and imports and also help expedite the industrialisation process in the country.

Optare has won a £270,000 contract to convert 11 buses to dual-fuel operation, using both diesel and bio-methane.  They are operated by Stagecoach and owned by Lincolnshire County Council.  This is the first fleet deal since Optare recent signing of an exclusive agreement with the Hardstaff Group to offer this dual-fuel option under its Eco Drive programme. When back in service, the buses should deliver 50% lower carbon emissions and significantly lower fuel costs.

Old Dominion Freight Line said its third-quarter profit fell 55.1% to $10.5 million, or 28 cents per share, from $23.4 million, or 63 cents, a year ago. Revenue fell 22.3% to $322.8 million, from $415.9 million a year ago, the less-than-truckload carrier said

Port Authority Board of Commissioners authorized the agency to move ahead with the purchase and redevelopment of Greenville Yards, a century-old rail yard in Jersey City, N.J. that will serve as the lynchpin to removing up to 360,000 trash trucks annually from trans-Hudson crossings and New Jersey highways.

Penske Truck Leasing has ordered 750 Freightliner Cascadia trucks with selective catalytic reduction technology, making the manufacturer the majority supplier of 2010 tractors to Penske.

Pacer International said its fourth-quarter profit grew to $10 million, or 10 cents per share, compared with a $64 million loss, or $1.83 cents, a year earlier. Income from operations rose $91.6 million to $18.3 million, from a loss of $73.3 million a year ago. Revenue fell $90.1 million to $420.2 million in the quarter ended Dec. 31, Pacer said.

Port Authority and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched an aggressive program to replace up to 636 of the oldest, most polluting trucks serving the Port of New York and New Jersey with newer models that generate less pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.  The $28 million program is designed to encourage the owners of up to 636 pre-1994 drayage trucks that regularly serve the port to purchase newer vehicles.

Piaggio Aero, manufacturer of the Avanti business jet, announced that Tata Limited has agreed to acquire approximately one-third of the company to become one of the primary shareholders, alongside Ferrari and Di Mase families and Mubadala Development Company of the UAE. Piaggio Aero would then be almost equally owned among the three.

Port of Hamburg was the scene of a very special event. The Unikai team successfully managed the loading of an outsized consignment manufactured by the Pullach-based Linde Engineering Division. Destined for a petrochemical plant in Brazil, this project delivery consisted of a total of 3,600 cubic metres of system components, all of which were successfully transferred with the help of a mobile crane and securely stowed on board the M/V Grande Buenos Aires, a vessel belonging to the Grimaldi shipping company.

Patil Rail Infrastructure Pvt Ltd (PRIL) has won a contract from Delhi Airport Metro Express, a group company of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, for building the first high-speed ballast less track in India. The Delhi Airport Metro Express Link will connect New Delhi Railway Station and the airport. Ltd. (c) Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

Pasha Group, a diversified global transportation services and logistics company, announced that GLOVIS America, Inc., has committed to a three-year agreement with Pasha Automotive Services ("PAS") at their National City Marine Terminal facility in the Port of San Diego.The anticipated annual volume for the combined traffic is in excess of 50,000 units. All models will be sent through the Port of San Diego, with the exception of Hyundai's Sonata and Santa Fe, which are assembled in Alabama.

Port Authority’s Express Rail system agency’s Board of Commissioners approved a new incentive program to encourage shippers to transport their cargo via new rail routes.The program will provide an incentive of $25 per container shipped by rail to any company booking a container on a railroad to or from a new ExpressRail origin or destination that was started since the beginning of the year.

Port Authority’s Express Rail system, the agency’s Board of Commissioners approved at its January meeting an incentive program to encourage shippers using the Port of New York and New Jersey to transport even more cargo by rail. The agency is currently investing approximately $600 million to upgrade the port rail facilities in Newark, Elizabeth and Staten Island, which ultimately will allow it to accommodate 1.5 million containers a year.

Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) has deployed its first U.S. 80 kW solar power array at its logistics facility in Ontario, Calif. The system will produce 135,000 kWh of renewable electricity and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 50,000 pounds annually.

Rehau, one of the world’s most renowned brands for polymer-based innovations and systems in construction, automotive and other industries, has chosen Kuehne + Nagel as service provider for road logistics in Middle and Eastern Europe.

Rolls-Royce officially opened its new 7,000 sq- m- Mechanical Test Operations Centre (MTOC) in Dahlewitz, Germany.

Ryder System said its first-quarter profit increased to $12.4 million, or 23 cents a share, from $6.8 million, or 12 cents, a year ago.

Russian Railways President (RZD), Wladimir Jakuni and the Chairman of Deutsche Bahn AG, Dr. Rüdiger Grube, n, gave speeches  to celebrate the opening of the new Competence Centre for Logistics at the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg State University. The first classes at the center set up by the two rail companies, with the full curriculum scheduled to begin in September. The logistics center will primarily focus on applied research in the fields of logistics and supply chain management, in addition to academic education for students based on Bachelors and Masters Degree programs.

Ryder Europe, one of the UK's larger transport firms, says it will spend £18m on 613 new vans and trucks.  The deal includes Mercedes Sprinters with panel van, fridge or Luton bodies and Daf trucks at 7.5, 12, 18 and 44 tonnes.  The rigid trucks have box, curtainside or fridge bodies.  Most vans and trucks have tail-lifts. 

Russian Railways' (RZD) net profit in 2009 came to 11 billion rubles, an 85.5% decrease from 76.4 billion rubles in net profit posted for 2008, the company's president. The company finished the year with profit at 11 billion rubles. Total freight hauling decreased by 15% in 2009, an improvement from a forecast decrease of 19%.

Russian Railways has awarded Siemens Mobility the contract to supply 160 km/h regional electric multiple-units for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. They will enter service on the Tuapse - Adler route from autumn 2013, and will be used to transport athletes and spectators to the sports venues and airport during the 2014 games.

Russian Railways the volume of investments of (RZD) into the implementation of additional power supply facilities at Krasnoyarsk Railway totaled 33 million rubles with no power generation at Sayano-Shushenskaya GES. There are 37 railway substations at Krasnoyarsk Railway, which serve the railway and the general system of power delivery to the end users.

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has concluded contracts with BAE Systems to support the EJ200 engines powering the Typhoon fleet of the Royal Saudi Air Force. The two three-year contracts form part of the Salam Support Solution that has been agreed between the Governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.Under the terms of the contracts, Rolls-Royce and its subsidiary Rolls-Royce Saudi Arabia Limited will lead support for the engine fleet on behalf of the EUROJET consortium.

Russian Railways (RZD) will invest RUR4.5 billion in the development of Armenian Railways in 2008. The funds will be spent on repair of railway and rolling stock. Russian Railways has already invested RUR2 billion after taking the company under concession management on July 1, 2008. (USD1 = RUR25.2690) .

Rutges Cargo, the European truck operator serving customers in the air cargo, hi-tech, pharmaceutical and perishable sectors has upgraded its quality certification to ISO 9001:2008 following a successful audit by independent assessor, SGS.

Roads and Transport Authority Call Center clinched Best Middle East New Call Center Award 2009, awarded by Insights Middle East Co. in the Annual Call Center Awards ceremony.

Rider Magazine has named BMW Motorrad’s F 800 GS adventure tourer its 2009 Motorcycle of the Year. The award announcement appears in the July 2009 issue of Rider Magazine, currently on newsstands.

SNC-Lavalin, one of the world’s leading engineering and construction groups, has awarded Kuehne + Nagel a contract for global logistics services related to their 785 million Euro project with Sonatrach, Algeria’s national oil and gas company. Sonatrach’s gas treatment complex is being built in Rhourde Nouss in the Sahara desert, approximately 1,200 kilometres to the south east of Algiers, to collect raw gas at different gas fields and includes a natural gas processing facility. The project is expected to be completed in early 2012.

Smith has put the UK's first 17 seat, all-electric minibus into production. Based on the Ford Transit chassis, the Smith Edison minibus has a top speed of 50mph and a range of up to 80 miles.  A full recharge takes 6-8 hours, or 3-4 hours with Smith's new fast charging technology.

Schenker Italiana S.p.A. has expanded its capacity in the greater Milan area. As of today, the Land Transport gateway in Peschiera Borromeo is set to operate from its new premises. The new hub will contribute to increased service quality. The new Land Transport hub boasts 11,000 square meters of warehouse space equipped with the latest safety systems and state-of-the-art technology such as hydraulic ramps on all 53 loading docks. The hub also includes 1,500 square meters of office space.

Scania says it is driving change in the UK truck maintenance industry with its "unique and competitively priced" Fixed Price Repairs programme.  The firm says this is already established as an attractive option with the UK's transport operators, delivered through the firm's 90-strong service centre network. 

Schenker Limited in the UK has been awarded Authorised Economic Operator (AEO - F) status across its multi-modal branches for both Customs simplification and security and safety.AEO status means that the company is a proven, secure member of the international supply chain and identified as a reliable trading partner in terms of both efficiency and compliance

Surface Transportation Board has approved Alaska Railroad Corp's plans for the Northern Rail Extension from North Pole, Alaska, subject to environmental mitigation conditions. The single track line will run 130 km southeast to Delta Junction from the current terminus of the Eielson branch near to North Pole south of Fairbanks. State-owned ARRC began developing plans for the extension in 2004.

Scott Wilson Group has been appointed to provide project management support for the Haramain High Speed Rail Project, the international design and engineering consultancy announced recently.

Siemens has received an order from Russian Railways (RZD) to supply a total of 54 regional trains for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. The agreement is worth up to 580 million euros. A firm order worth around 410 million euros has been placed for the first 38 Desiro type trains, which will be manufactured entirely at the Siemens plant in Krefeld, Germany.

Skypark – the region’s first dedicated car parking services brand, from Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) – has announced it will be providing special introductory offers for customers pre-booking and paying for their parking requirements at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Santa Fe Corp. said its third-quarter profit fell 29.8% as shipping volumes dropped. The rail line’s profit decreased to $488 million, or $1.42 per share, from $695 million, or $1.99, a year ago. Freight revenue fell 26.8% to $3.49 billion, which included a decrease in fuel surcharges of about $725 million and the rest due to lower unit volumes as a result of the economic downturn, partially offset by improved yields, BNSF said.

Saudi Railway Organisation (SRO) has announced that the construction contract for the proposed $5.3 billion Makkah-Jeddah-Madinah railway project in Saudi Arabia will be awarded soon. SRO has asked the four qualified consortia to present their technical and financial offers for the project within three months and the contract will then be awarded. King Abdullah ordered the implementation of the project last February which he hopes will bring about major improvement in the transportation of pilgrims between the two holy cities.The Makkah-Madinah Railway Link (MMRL) is designed to operate trains with a speed of more than 300km per hour, reducing travel time between Jeddah and Makkah to 30 minutes and between Jeddah and Madinah to two hours.

SAM Group published its latest evaluation for the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). For the fifth consecutive year, it rated the BMW Group as the leader in its industry, making it the world’s most sustainable automobile manufacturer. The BMW Group is the only company in the automobile industry to have been listed in this important sustainability index family every year since it was established in 1999.

Stobart group and DB Schenker Rail have increased their business co-operation after collaborating on a chilled train service from Valencia to the UK. Stobart Rail has now appointed DB Schenker as its main rail freight provider.

Soyuztranslink (STL) has opened two new offices in Houston, Texas and Atyrau in Western Kazakhstan to provide a full range of freight forwarding services to support major exploration and drilling projects that are building to full production in the Caspian Sea.Oil majors and service companies in the US have driven demand for service between the US and Central Asia.

Siemens Mobility, freight locomotive manufacturer Sinara Transport Machines and Russian Railways signed a memorandum of understanding for the production of electric locomotives during the 1520 Strategic Partnership forum in Sochi.

Schenker Vietnam Co Ltd opened its flagship facility in Song Than Industrial Park I of Binh Duong Province, close to Ho Chi Minh City. The USD5.5 million investment jointly with Vietnam partner Gemadept, marks a significant milestone for both organisations in the fast growing Vietnam market.

Toll Group, the Asian region’s leading provider of integrated logistics, announced it will acquire WT Sea Air Group (WT) and Genesis Forwarding Group (Genesis) to become one of the top UK forwarders. The Toll Group generates revenue in excess of A$6.5 billion and employs over 35,000 people in 55 countries.

Toll Global Forwarding is starting to appear on the UK’s roads, with the arrival of the first container vehicles in its livery. The vehicles replace ones showing the BALtrans name, which has been phased out globally following the company’s acquisition by Toll Group in 2008.The Scania tractors will handle container collections and deliveries to and from TGF customers throughout the UK. TGF’s UK container business is expected to grow significantly as expansion-minded.

Toll Group, the Asian region’s leading provider of integrated logistics, announced the acquisition of Express Logistics Group (ELG), one of New Zealand’s largest freight forwarding companies. ELG currently operates 12 freight forwarding branches across New Zealand, Australia and the USA, and also provides value adding warehouse and transport services to its customers.

Toll Group, signed an agreement with the Royal Government of Cambodia to operate the country’s railways under a thirty year concession. The Toll Group generated revenue in excess of A$5.6 billion last year and employs 30,000 people in more than 50 countries around the world.

TNT inaugurated a road hub in Wuhan, Hubei Province, which will improve its road distribution network in central China. The regional hub will be managed by TNT’s wholly owned subsidiary TNT Hoau. The facility marks another milestone in the development of TNT’s Chinese domestic delivery arm, following the introduction of a day-definite ground service in February 2009.

Toll Group, one of the Asian region’s leading provider of integrated logistics services, signed an agreement with the Royal Government of Cambodia to operate the country’s railways under a thirty year concession.

Tata Motors India’s said it is unveiling a new line of trucks to be called the “world truck.It will produce the vehicles in India and South Korea, where it owns the Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Co.Analysts say Tata was revamping its truck lineup to compete with global truck manufacturers such as Sweden’s Volvo AB and Germany’s Daimler AG, which recently started selling trucks in India, and local competitors.

UPS Inc. has added 200 hybrid electric delivery trucks to its fleet in eight U.S. cities.UPS expects the vehicles to reduce fuel consumption by 176,000 gallons per year compared with conventional diesel trucks, and will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released by 1,768 metric tons per year.

UPS Inc. said that it opened its C$30 million Calgary, Alberta, truck and air hub, completing a consolidation project begun in June 2008. The company merged three facilities in the metropolitan area into one 150,000-square-foot hub near Calgary International Airport.

UPS Freight, the less-than-truckload unit of UPS Inc., said it had improved transit times to from western Canada and U.S. addresses. UPS Freight will reduce transit times across 340 lanes from Calgary and Edmonton to points throughout the United States, including bringing Calgary freight loads to cities in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Kansas, Louisiana, South Carolina and New Mexico within four days.

Union Pacific Corp.’s second-quarter profit fell 12% to $468 million, or 92 cents per share, from $531 million, or $1.02, a year ago. Revenue dropped 28% to $3.3 billion, the company said Revenue from intermodal freight fell 23% to $595 million, while automotive revenue plunged 54% to $163 million, UP said.

UPS Inc. has extended its vehicle logistics services contract with Ford Motor Co. through the end of 2012. UPS said the contract includes delivering new cars and managing outbound distribution of finished vehicles. It had been scheduled to run through the end of 2009 and was first signed in 2000

US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood joined (30-Mar-09) China's Minister of Transport Li Shenglin in a historical signing of an agreement to cooperate on the safe transportation of hazardous materials. Signing the agreement, both nations' industries including manufacturing, agriculture, and medical research need regular access to certain types of dangerous materials to conduct business.

Union railways ministry of India has been sanctioned an outlay of over INR30 billion the to the Southern Railways for enhancing capacity. Of the total amount, Southern Railways has set aside INR3.58 billion for doubling of rail track between Tiruvallur and Arakkonam (26.83 km), and Korukkupet and Ennore (11.95 km) in Tamil Nadu during the current year.

Volvo AB  reported second-quarter net income of about $430 million, compared with a loss of about $760 million a year ago when orders were low. Net sales rose 27% to about $9.4 billion and increased 31% adjusted for currency conversions.

Volvo AB said its truck unit was profitable in the first quarter compared with a year ago, as North American sales rose 6%.Truck unit operating income was 1.44 million Swedish kronor, or about $200,000, compared with a loss of about $334,000 a year ago.

Volvo AB said its North American deliveries fell in February from a year ago, but its worldwide deliveries rose 11%. Volvo Trucks North America’s February deliveries slipped 2% to 856 units. North American deliveries year-to-date fell 10% to 1,402 units, compared with last year.

Volvo has launched a new version of its FM truck.  The firm says so much is already built into the Volvo FM that the improvements are more a matter of fine-tuning, based on customer feedback. Volvo says these complement recent engine and transmission changes that deliver more power, torque and lower fuel use and consequently lower emissions.

Volvo AB said it is “gradually increasing production rates” as truck sales to emerging markets improve. Volvo said it saw an increase in demand from Brazil, where economic growth, tax incentives and subsidized financing helped triple January sales South American deliveries rose 172% year-over-year, while North American deliveries fell 20%, Volvo said.

Volvo AB reported a fourth-quarter loss but predicted that economic recovery will expand the market for its trucks. The Swedish truck maker lost 2 billion kronor ($268 million), or 0.99 kronor (13 cents) per share on costs from job cutting and a continued slump in demand.

Volvo Trucks has done a 1,800 truck deal with Deutsche  Post DHL.  Volvo will deliver the new Euro 5 trucks in the UK, Finland and Sweden over the next two years.

Veolia is to run a Volvo-based diesel-electric hybrid dustcart on a two-year trial with Westminster City Council.  The truck is the third of its type made by Volvo, the other two run in Gothenburg and Stockholm.  The London vehicle has an electrically powered compacter body, built by Geesink Norba and should cut fuel use and emissions by 30% and deliver other cost savings too.  The truck uses electric power to move off, adding diesel power at higher speeds.

Volvo AB said its North American deliveries fell 28% in October from a year ago, but said orders rose from September. North American sales for the month fell 1,755 units from 2,443 units a year ago, the Gothenberg, Sweden-based company said. The majority of the truck operations noted an increase of deliveries in October from September, and for the Volvo Group in total the increase was 12% from the previous month, the company said.

Volvo Group and Chinese firms Sinotruk Ltd. and China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Corp. have signed an agreement under which Sinotruk will purchase all of Volvo’s equity interest in Jinan Huawo Truck Corp. Volvo currently holds a 50% equity interest in Jinan and the agreement is subject to approval by Chinese authorities.

Volvo AB, the world's second-largest truckmaker, will cut about 1,400 jobs at factories in Belgium and Sweden because of a slowdown in European demand, the company said

Vnesheconombank (VEB) approved the decision to provide Russian Railways (RZD) with RUR4.5 billion credit out of previously specified RUR62 billion. The funds will be invested in the rail service development between Kuzbass and the Far East. VEB announced its intention to finance RZD totaling RUR62 billion in April 2008. VEB was going to allocate the same volume of investments in the following years. The funds were supposed to be invested in the infrastructure development, including rail, power and terminals. (USD1 = RUR25.2690)

Volvo Group has once again qualified for inclusion on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index of the world's foremost companies in sustainable development. Volvo is one of the few Swedish companies included on both the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and the Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability Index (DJSI STOXX).

Volvo says its preventive maintenance and full contract maintenance programmes are helping its customers cut their Operator Compliance Risk Scores, the points system used by Vosa and Traffic Commissioners to help rate operators. The firm says the maintenance programmes help dealers build their knowledge of customers' vehicles and this helps hit above average MoT first time pass rates.

Volvo says its truck dealers hit a first time pass rate of 92.1% for annual MoT tests in June. The figure covers all makes of trucks and trailers prepared by the network. Over the first six months of the year, the Volvo network scored 91%. This compares to a national average of 73.9% for the same period during which the Volvo Truck Dealer Network did some 11,500 MoT tests. The figures are based on data from the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.

Volvo says it is the first truck maker to have a truck approved in the UK to the new European Whole Vehicle Type Approval rules. The firm got certificate number 001 from the Vehicle Certification Agency, the UK's Type Approval Authority on 29 April this year, the earliest date possible. The truck involved was an FH 4x2 tractor unit..

Volvo AB said it lost $725 million, or 36 cents a share, more than analysts’ estimates, and said it was facing a “difficult” third quarter in light of lower truck sales. The loss compared with profit of $670 million, or 33 cents, a year ago..

Volvo Group said its North American heavy-duty truck deliveries fell to 1,115 vehicles, down 62% from a year ago. Overall, the company’s worldwide truck deliveries fell 57% year-over-year, though orders were up 3% from April. Total heavy-duty deliveries worldwide fell 63% to 5,775 units, the company said in a statement.

Volvo Trucks North America said it has begun selling heavy-duty trucks that meet new U.S. emissions standards slated to take effect in 2010. By mid-June, customers had placed orders via distributors for about 50 trucks using selective catalytic reduction technology to need the new standards.

Volvo Trucks North America has chosen Terra Environmental Technologies to supply its dealers with retail-size containers of diesel exhaust fluid and to put the company’s product in new Volvo trucks.

Volvo Trucks North America said the United States should adopt a policy of allowing longer, heavier trucks on the nation’s highways as a way to increase driver productivity and to conserve fuel. Scott Kress, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Volvo Trucks North America said that to address the problems of fuel efficiency, freight productivity and congestion, “one strategy that should be well understood and considered is more productive trucks.” Kress said motor carriers should have the “ability to use longer combination vehicles throughout the Interstate Highway System.”

Volkswagen says it has won its biggest UK van deal, with an order for 5,300 Caddy vans from British Gas. The firm already has 1,000 Caddys and the fleet replacement deal will put 5,300 identical vans onto the road in 2010 & 2011. Each will be delivered with a 70 mph speed limiter and internal racking fitted. British Gas is the largest domestic central heating and gas fitting firm in the UK and is now the largest supplier of residential electricity in Britain.

Volvo and Ford raised the prices on light cars in Russia. The cars with the year of manufacture in 2008 will rise in price by 9%, 2009 year of manufacture 12.9%. The prices will be raised on the entire lineup of Volvo from offroders XC to coupe C30 and C70.

Volkswagen Finance Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Financial Services AG, Germany, has signed a co-operation Agreement with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance in India. Through this co-operation agreement, Volkswagen Finance Pvt. Ltd., and Bajaj Allianz will be providing innovative and customized insurance products as well as bundled insurance and finance products for customers of the Volkswagen Group Brands Audi, Skoda, Volkswagen Passenger cars, presently being sold in India, as well as for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles which is to be shortly launched in India.

Volvo Trucks North America gave a new highway tractor to American Trucking Associations providing the federation with a second power unit to pull its image trailer, a rolling demonstration for highway safety.

Volvo trucks Sales of in November dropped dramatically in Europe and continued a steep decline in North America. The Sweden-based manufacturer said it adapted the production capacity at its global sites. The company previously announced up to 2,000 job cuts. The company will halt truck production in Europe for up to 25 days in the first quarter due to canceled orders. The company had suspended some production in the fourth quarter, as well.

Wartsila, the marine industry's leading ship power systems integrator, has received several orders for propulsion systems from Russian organisations recently. The most recent contracts include repeat orders for integrated electro-propulsion packages for new state-owned Multipurpose Salvage Vessels, which are part of a national programme to develop Russia's transportation system over the next five years.

Wagonload alliance launched. Representatives from seven major rail freight operators signed an agreement in Zürich for  new alliance for the operation of international wagonload traffic. The Xrail alliance is intended to improve the competitiveness and efficiency of wagonload operations, which currently account for almost half of all rail freight in Europe.

Wuhan-to-Guangzhou high-speed railway in China, has made train trips between the cities a breeze. The trip previously took at least 11 hours, now it takes only three.In the first 26 days of the 40-day

Werner Enterprises truckload carrier said its second-quarter profit fell to $12.7 million, or 18 cents per share, from $18.1 million, or 25 cents, a year ago.

Werner Enterprises Truckload carrier said its first-quarter profit declined to $6.9 million, or 10 cents per share, from $8.4 million, or 12 cents in 2008. Revenue fell 23% to $394.5 million, while trucking revenue excluding fuel surcharges declined 12% to $308 million, the company said.

Wincanton has won two UK logistics contract renewals with DIY supplier Focus and Marley Eternit, a roofing products maker.The renewed £33m (US$49.8m) deal with Focus will run for three - years and Wincanton will continue to operate its national warehousing operation from the DIY specialist’s central distribution centre
in Tamworth.

Xrail alliance officially created seven leading European rail freight operators . Xrail’s goal is to render international wagonload traffic by rail more customer-friendly and efficient. The alliance aims to increase the competitiveness of wagonload traffic in Europe significantly, thus helping take traffic off the roads and protect the environment.

YRC Worldwide said that it lost $255 million, or $3.53 a share, from operations in the second quarter of 2009, down sharply from a year-ago profit of $35.8 million, or 62 cents, 39 cents of which came from a curtailment gain related to pensions