Category Archives: manufacturing

Nissan to Keep Production and Employment in Spain

The agreement is the result of gritty union actions. After starting indefinite strike on 4 May, unions mobilized a nationwide protest movement against the factory closures. A convoy of Nissan workers traveled across the country to build support for the struggle, and demonstrations were held at Nissan dealerships. Continue reading

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Auto Plant Downtime Looming as COVID-19 Thrives?

LMC notes that projected regional and export demand, along with inventory replenishment, has it forecast that US automakers will produce nearly 40,000 vehicles daily in the second half of 2020. Continue reading

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Lordstown and Lithium. A New GM Constellation is Rising

Back in March GM revealed a third-generation global EV platform powered by proprietary “Ultium” batteries. GM claimed it will allow the company to compete for almost every customer in the market today, whether they are looking for affordable transportation, a luxury experience, work trucks or a high-performance machine. A space that is largely occupied by Tesla, which caught all global automakers napping. Covid 19 has complicated launch plans across the industry and timing on such projects is unstable. Continue reading

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Toyota Plating Machine Significantly Reduces CO2

This new stamping-type plating machine eliminates the need of a dipping process where parts to be plated are completely immersed in multiple baths of plating solution, which is required in the most common plating processes at present. As a result, waste solution can be dramatically reduced to about one-thirtieth and CO2 emissions to about one-third, which contributes to a significant reduction in environmental impact. The technology also reduces plating time and the process footprint. Continue reading

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Milestones – VW Chattanooga One-Millionth Vehicle

Milestones – VW Chattanooga One-Millionth Vehicle Continue reading

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Auto Assembly Plant Restarts  – Yes, Maybe and Unknown

FCA, GM, and Volkswagen announced planned to restart production at four plants during the week of 31 May 2020. Continue reading

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Renault, Nissan Motor, Mitsubishi Slice, Dice World by Brand

The member companies plan to build on existing Alliance “benefits” in areas such as joint purchasing by using their respective positions and geographic strengths to support their partners’ business development. The three companies of the Alliance will cover all vehicle segments and technologies globally, while increasing their respective competitiveness. By implementing the plan, Nissan aims to achieve a 5% operating profit margin and a sustainable global market share of 6% by the end of fiscal year 2023, including proportionate contributions from its 50% equity joint venture in China. Continue reading

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Canada Contracts GM to Make 10 Million Face Masks

Canada received its Medical Device Establishment License on April 22 and the company built and installed the mask making machinery, sourced materials and trained its workers in approximately one month. Continue reading

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Xpeng Gets Production License for Zhaoqing Factory

“The Zhaoqing manufacturing plant is an essential component of our vision to build a smart mobility ecosystem, from in-house R&D to smart manufacturing to customer services. Obtaining the production approval for the plant will hasten our progress in producing and delivering best-in-class products and services for our customers,” said He Xiaopeng, Chairman and CEO of Xpeng Motors, which also built the plant. Continue reading

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Two Spanish Nissan Plants on Strike over Job Security

On 14 May, the Nikkei Shimbun published a speculative story on Nissan’s future production strategy. “Nissan in fiscal 2019 produced about 55,000 vehicles in Spain, accounting for about 10% of its European output. It will shift its Barcelona production to Renault plants in France and elsewhere,” said the Nikkei. “Nissan has not made any official statement on this subject. Nissan’s midterm planning is in progress and has not been concluded yet. As announced earlier, Nissan will announce a revised midterm plan along with fiscal year 2019 financial results on May 28,” said a Nissan statement. Continue reading

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CAR Launches Research Exploring the Auto Industry 4.0

The project will also include an investigation into the financial investment and expectations for associated return on investment for companies implementing Industry 4.0 strategies. Continue reading

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Ford to Begin Phased Restart in North America 18 May

Ford initially refused a UAW request to shut down over to weekend of 16 March. Bowing to pressure from the UAW and with a belated portion of common sense and awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ford Motor Company on 18 March said it would stop production at U.S., Canadian and Mexican manufacturing facilities after Thursday evening’s shifts through March 30 to thoroughly clean and sanitize the company’s plants. Continue reading

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Porsche Production to restart in Zuffenhausen and Leipzig

However other stricter Porsche measures remain in force until further notice to relieve the burden on the infrastructure at the sites: this means that the greatly increased level of “mobile working” will continue in the indirect areas, and meetings will be held as video or telephone conferences. The ban on business travel also continues to apply. Continue reading

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Toyota Group in Full Production of Medical Face Shields

Based on a policy to be “mindful of the feelings of those in the midst of this pandemic, reach conclusions more swiftly, make prompt decisions, and take immediate action faster than ever focusing on safety and security as the highest priorities,” Toyota and Toyota Group companies will do what they can to help efforts on the front-lines of treatment and in limiting the further spread of COVID-19, which has become society’s biggest priority. The Trump Administration in its daily grievance propaganda confrontational sessions expresses no such emotions about the plague victims in the US. Continue reading

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Toyota and FAW Restructure Their Joint Company Management

AutoInformed thinks this really is a giant step toward eliminating Germany luxury car makers as the brands of choice in the Chinese market with a Chinese brand with electric, sports and luxury cars. Continue reading

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