Category Archives: manufacturing

Changan Ford Mazda to Build a New Plant in Hangzhou China

Posted on 19 April 2012 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company today announced it would build a new assembly plant in Hangzhou, China, adding 250,000 units of capacity. This latest $760 million investment by Ford and its communist-government required joint venture – Changan Ford Mazda Automobile – will … Continue reading →

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Enclave, Traverse and Acadia Recalls for Bad Wipers at GM

Posted on 16 April 2012 by Ken Zino

GM is only recalling the models registered in Snow Belt states. Critics of such limited safety recalls maintain that they do not fix all the potentially affected vehicles. Dealers will tighten the wiper arm nuts. Continue reading →

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Fire Recall Covers More Rolls-Royce and BMW Turbo Models

Posted on 16 April 2012 by Ken Zino

The root cause is a circuit board in the Pierburg-supplied pump that can overheat. Several cases of engine compartment fires and totaled vehicles have been reported, according to an ongoing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defect investigation. Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls Focus for Defective Windshield Wipers

Posted on 10 April 2012 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 140,000 Focus compact cars because the windshield wipers can fail. Model year 2012 Focus cars were built at the Michigan Assembly Plant without a proper seal on the wiring harness for the passenger-side windshield wiper motor. Continue reading →

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Jobless Recovery as U.S. Employment Barely Grows in March

Posted on 6 April 2012 by Ken Zino

Some independent estimates have the real U.S. unemployment levels at 14% or more, as politicians in a dysfunctional Washington try to cast the blame on the other party. One thing is certain; unemployed do not increase revenues via payroll or social security taxes, at a time of soaring deficits. Continue reading →

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EPA First as Marathon Agrees on Flare Gas Controls

Posted on 6 April 2012 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that Ohio-based Marathon Petroleum Company would install the latest controls on combustion devices known as flares. This is an oil industry first. The settlement is part of EPA’s national effort to reduce air pollution from refinery, petrochemical and chemical flares. Continue reading →

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Ford to Expand Chongqing Plant, Raising Capacity to 950,000

Posted on 5 April 2012 by Ken Zino

This will make Chongqing by far the largest Ford production site in the world – a latter day Rouge for communist customers. The latest expansion includes a new assembly line, body and paint shop. Construction on the extension is expected to begin immediately and the first vehicle is expected to come off the line in late 2014. CFMA already operates two assembly plants and an engine plant in Chongqing, with another engine plant and a transmission plant currently under construction. Continue reading →

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Ford and PSA Peugeot Citroën to Drop JV on Diesel Engines

Posted on 5 April 2012 by Ken Zino

PSA Peugeot Citroën and Ford said today that the companies have decided to independently develop and manufacture their larger diesel engines displacing more than 2-liters starting in 2015. The announcement, likely the result of the PSA and General Motors JV announced in February, ends a 12-year business relationship. Continue reading →

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Toyota to Increase RAV4 Volume in North America

Posted on 28 March 2012 by Ken Zino

The C$80 million investment will result in about 400 new jobs between now and implementation in early 2013. A revised RAV4 is due then. Continue reading →

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BMW Recalls all 2003 to 2010 Model 5 and 6 Series for Fires

Posted on 26 March 2012 by Ken Zino

BMW AG is recalling all BMW 5 and 6 Series models from the previous generation, built between 2003 and 2010 for possible fires. About 1.3 million vehicles worldwide are affected. Continue reading →

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Porsche Recalls New 911 for a Possible Gasoline Leak

Posted on 26 March 2012 by Ken Zino

No fires have been reported, but the first gasoline leak was reported by a customer less than a week after taking delivery of the $110,000+ sports car. Continue reading →

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A123 Recalls Lithium Ion Batteries Shipped to Fisker, Others

Posted on 26 March 2012 by Ken Zino

The $55 million recall comes after the well-publicized failure during testing of a Fisker Karma that was owned by Consumer Reports. A123, an investor in Fisker, lost almost $260 million in 2011. A123 received a $249.1 million grant from the Department of Energy to reopen plants in Livonia and Romulus, Mich., as well as money and tax credits from Michigan worth more than $100 million. The future of the company, which has never earned a profit, is not clear. Continue reading →

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Honda Resumes Auto Production in Thailand

Posted on 26 March 2012 by Ken Zino

It took since last November to clean, inspect, repair and replace plant facilities and manufacturing equipment damaged by the flood. In the interim, Honda supplied automobiles from Japan to countries in the Asia Oceania Region that had production disrupted because of severe flooding – the worst in decades. Continue reading →

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Honda Recalls CR-V Models for Suspension Failure

Posted on 23 March 2012 by Ken Zino

The latest Honda safety recall came a month after Consumer Reports said that Subaru for the first time has earned the top score in automaker report cards for 2012. Honda, the winner for the past four years, slipped to fourth place among 13 major automakers behind Mazda and Toyota. Continue reading →

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Honda to Build Another Automobile Plant in Indonesia

Posted on 15 March 2012 by Ken Zino

Honda is also a force in the Asian motorcycle market. PT Astra Honda Motor, Honda’s joint venture company in Indonesia responsible for motorcycle production and sales, is now going to build its fourth Motorcycle Plant in Indonesia. Total production capacity with the addition of 1,100,000 annual production will be 5,300,000 motorcycles and scooters when the plant opens next year. Continue reading →

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