China’s car companies are set to turn to a Western outsourced model of logistics to cope with booming volumes and more demanding consumers. Domestic carmakers have typically relied on their own captive logistics arms, and this has also applied to their joint ventures with the principal Western and Japanese car companies which make up the bulk of car production. But while efficiency has risen, logistics is a specialist activity which is not typically a core competence of an OEM. So China is expected a move towards the model used in the rest of the world, of employing third party logistics providers (3PLs). At present the 3PLs with the expertise are almost all foreign companies. Even where the logistics operation is retained by a Chinese OEM, that operation is likely to selectively seek external customers. Li Wang, vice president at Toyota Lujie, the logistics venture between an arm of Chinese domestic carmaker First Auto Works (FAW) and the world’s biggest car company, commented: “Lujie also has to look behind FAW and try to speed up the co-operation with other carmakers and industry players. The FAW Group encourages this independence as well.” The modernization of logistics networks will be the focus of the 7th Automotive Logistics China conference, to be held in Bejing from 18-20 April 2010. Bringing together carmakers and logistics service providers of all types, the conference covers the logistics of car production and delivery within China, as well as the start (and end) of automotive supply chains which stretch across the world. This year Automotive Logistics China has joined the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) to organize special sessions on finished vehicle logistics. They will incorporate the previously-separate meeting arranged directly by the CFLP. Special delegate rates for China-based attendees and CFLP members will help facilitate attendance. Automotive Logistics China is supported by Gold sponsors Geodis Wilson and United Road, by Global sponsor Wallenius Wilhelmsen, and by Silver sponsors BLG Logistics, Ceva, Chep, NYK Logistics, Ryder and Union Pacific.