Establishment and evolution of an advanced logistics system for global procurement of auto-parts

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01977
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07090:Commerce-related
• Research Institution: Kwansei Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: ITOH Hidekazu 関西学院大学, 商学部, 教授 (30368451)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 自動車産業 / 部品調達 / 生産ネットワーク / ロジスティクス / 在庫管理 / 新興工業経済地域 / 国際比較

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As the main results of this research project, two international joint research papers were published in academic journal and book, focusing on the operations of parts consolidation centers (PCC) utilized by two Japanese and two French car assemblers, respectively, for the long-distance transportation of high value-added auto-parts from domestic suppliers to assembly plants in emerging countries. While many general-purpose and bulky parts are procured from local suppliers or from parts suppliers in the home country who have established local operations, assembler-led container transportation for high value-added parts or in-house products can reduce transportation costs and ensure a stable supply chain. The logistics services and their differences were clarified by the detailed case studies.

Free Research Field

交通経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

電動化や自動化によって、自動車産業は大変革の時代にある。また、自動車産業は国内製造業（出荷額）の２割弱を占め、関連産業を含めるとその就業人口は500万人を超えている。本研究では、先進国の自動車組立メーカーが新興国の組立工場での生産においてどのようなサプライチェーンを構築しているのか、特に自国の部品混載センターでのオペレーションに着目し、その付加価値活動を明らかにするとともに、今後の技術集約型部品の拡大による国内物流センターの重要性を示した。