DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, conducted the third training module of its Corporate Automotive Logistics Academy 4.0 (CALA 4.0) in Detroit, Michigan earlier this month.

That marked the first time the training was held in the United States and the second time in the Americas.

The modular training program CALA 4.0 is a platform for knowledge transfer and management developed in close cooperation with BVL Campus, the educational branch of the global supply chain experts of BVL International. The module focuses on trends and strategies in automotive logistics. More than 20 participants from OEMs and suppliers took part in the training and honed their supply chain management skills in workshops and discussion rounds.

“Smart production needs a modified supply chain,” said Christiane Beimel, vice president of value-added services at DHL Global Forwarding. “At the moment, supply chain management in the automotive manufacturing and supply industry is undergoing rapid change. The only way to reach the top and stay there in the global market is to learn and act cooperatively, in a way that combines knowledge with practice.”

The CALA 4.0 training module in Detroit was led by Dr. Alexander Bode, a logistics and supply chain management expert from the BVL Campus in Bremen, Germany. In the U.S., he received support from Dr. Dr. Mario Monsreal, associate research scientist at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, and a team of experts from the automotive sector of DHL Global Forwarding. During the modules, specialists share their views on global and country-specific trends and strategies in automotive logistics. Afterward, participants took part in workshop discussions where they identify the innovations needed for the automotive industry’s supply chains, work out possible solutions, and present their results to the group.

“This knowledge sharing forum is a unique platform in the Americas that helps DHL continue to remain at the forefront of the automotive industry’s changing needs and innovations,” said Han Roest, vice president for automotive at DHL Global Forwarding. “Through collaborative efforts with our automotive experts and academia, DHL serves our customers better, brings attention to and bridges the automotive talent gap.”

During the previous CALA 4.0 event held in Sao Paulo, 40 attendees were present who shared key learnings and best practices. Another CALA 4.0 module took place recently in Pune, India and the next training module will be conducted in Germany in the first half of 2016.