The global automotive supplier market: A driving force behind on board courier (OBC) demand [INFOGRAPHIC]

With the value of the automotive supplier market set to reach 620 billion euros this year, on board courier (OBC) services are increasingly becoming a key part of the global supply chain.

View our exclusive infographic to find out why automotive-related hand-carry business is growing year-on-year:

Nikolai Bergmann, Global Business Development Director for Chapman Freeborn OBC, says:

“We’re seeing year-on-year growth in terms of demand specialist hand-carry services for the automotive industry. This industry is truly global – and while developed markets like Europe and the US remain important for OBC services, we’re now seeing the fastest growth in emerging markets like China and Latin America.”

Products supplied by the world’s top automotive suppliers range from fuel systems to steering systems, as well as outer vehicle components.

The automotive supplier market is driven by a shift to lighter materials, as well as the trend towards electric vehicles and alternative fuel powertrains. Over the next decade, internet-connected car technologies are set to cause yet another revolution in the automotive sector.

Bergmann comments: “In terms of supporting this industry, there is sometimes a misconception that on board couriers can only be used to transport a single item, or a small number of hand-carry packages. Our biggest automotive OBC movement in the last 12 months was a 4,800kg shipment of pieces from Europe to Mexico – transported on a scheduled flight by a team of dedicated couriers.”

Our on board couriers need to be fully insured and professionally trained, as well as possessing passports and visas for countries that are traditionally more difficult to access.

This is part of what makes OBC services invaluable for multinational businesses which are vulnerable to supply chain delays.

He adds: “When it comes to time-critical deliveries, there really is no faster way of transporting automotive cargo. We help clients avoid costly plant shutdowns, as well as the costs of a full cargo charter.”

Information source: Statista