Czech mates [automotive industry]

This paper discusses how the small Czech town of Kolin has become the focus of attention of automobile manufacturers worldwide with the inauguration of a new car factory (TPCA) that resulted from the joint venture between Toyota and PSA Peugeot Citroen. The combination of Toyota´s production methods and PSA´s purchasing and logistics know-how provides a formidable economic challenge to TPCA´s competitors. Because of the investment global car and other manufacturers have made in central and eastern Europe, this area has become strategic. The market for transport and logistics continues to grow, adding to and not replacing the markets in western Europe.