Category Archives: manufacturing

2012 Focus Uses First Castor Oil Foam in Dashboard

Posted on 30 September 2011 by Ken Zino

The new Ford Focus just going on sale in North America uses castor oil derived foam in the interior. Castor oil is derived from a flowering spurge plant, which grows throughout tropical regions. The plant’s oil presents what could be a sustainable interior foam that does not compete with food sources, according to Ford. Continue reading →

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Four-Cylinder Engines Now Made at Toyota Alabama Plant

Posted on 29 September 2011 by Ken Zino

Total annual engine capacity of four-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines is now more than 500,000. TMMAL is the only Toyota plant in the world making four-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines. Continue reading →

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Labor Demand Down Again, Continuing Unemployment Trend

Posted on 28 September 2011 by Ken Zino

nline advertised vacancies were down 43,500 in September to 3,947,100, according a Conference Board study released today. The September drop follows a decline of 164,000 in August and a decrease of 217,000 in July. The Supply/Demand ratio stands at 3.50, meaning there were 3.5 unemployed for every online advertised vacancy in August, the latest monthly data available for unemployment. Nationally, there are 10 million more people officially unemployed (9.98 million) than advertised vacancies under the “no jobs” Obama Administration. Continue reading →

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New Porsche Paint Shop for New 911s at Zuffenhausen

Posted on 23 September 2011 by Ken Zino

The opening of the new paint shop this week in Zuffenhausen coincides with the start of production of the new Porsche 911, arguably the most famous sports car in the world since its 1964 début. The revised 911 bodies are painted inside and out in a dust free environment at the enclosed plant, which is located in a densely populated urban area of Stuttgart. Continue reading →

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GM UAW Contract Offers Profit Sharing, Some New Jobs

Posted on 20 September 2011 by Ken Zino

A new four-year labor contract that will be voted on by GM’s UAW workers this week and next includes modest increases in wages for new hires over four years – but not veterans – and the protection or creation of more than 6,000 plant jobs in the U.S. at GM and its component suppliers. Long time employees will be compensated going forward largely with profit-sharing based on GM’s results in North America. Continue reading →

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GM Board Meets in China. New Investment Coming Tomorrow?

Posted on 19 September 2011 by Ken Zino

At about the same time the UAW reveals details of its new contract with GM tomorrow U.S. media, General Motors Vice Chairman Steve Girsky will be holding a conference call for media from Shanghai.

The latest communication from GM will likely detail plans for further job creation via new investment in China, GM’s and the world’s largest automarket. Continue reading →

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UAW Reaches Agreement with GM. Members Vote This Week

Posted on 19 September 2011 by Ken Zino

The real contract to watch is the now expired and unresolved one at Ford Motor where the UAW can strike, since Ford did not except bailout funds and hence the requisite no strike provision for a bailout, although Ford did accept billions in other taxpayer subsidies and handouts during the beginning years of the Obama Administration. Continue reading →

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Johnson Controls to Build $100 Million Battery Plant in China

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Ken Zino

Johnson said it plans to produce an annual capacity of 2.4 million batteries by 2015 for local and global automakers. The U.S. based company, which fired about half of its U.S. automotive plant workers during the Great Recession to cut costs, said it is considering several potential locations for the new plant and expects to make a final decision in the coming months. Continue reading →

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Toyota Production Now at 100% in North America and Japan

Posted on 14 September 2011 by Ken Zino

Toyota’s North American production has now returned to 100%. The resumption of all car and truck manufacturing – months ahead of initial projections – is welcome news at Japan’s largest automaker, whose U.S. sales through August have declined 16% year-over-year, relegating it to fourth place, while the market grew 10.5%. Continue reading →

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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars to Expand UK Manufacturing Plant

Posted on 12 September 2011 by Ken Zino

The expansion of the BMW owned company follows from what Rolls-Royce characterizes as significant growth in worldwide sales during the last 18 months, including record sales of 2,711 models in 2010, and a greater demand from customers for customized Rolls-Royce Ghost and Phantom models. Total investment in the project will be about £10 million, which will be completed in late 2012. Continue reading →

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Honda Recalls 310,000 Pilot SUVs for Defective Seat Belts

Posted on 9 September 2011 by Ken Zino

The latest quality gaff from the Japanese maker once known for its quality follows Honda recalls announced over the Labor Day weekend for fires on more than a million vehicles globally. During the past year or so, Honda has issued more than 22 public statements about various safety defects and recalls in the U.S. Continue reading →

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Milestones: 20 Years of FAW-Volkswagen in China

Posted on 26 August 2011 by Ken Zino

FAW-Volkswagen is currently the second largest of China’s largest automobile manufacturers, behind GM and its Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) and FAW partners. Continue reading →

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Flames Instead of Primer in New GM Paint Process for Plastic

Posted on 26 August 2011 by Ken Zino

Emissions from the painting of automobiles have been steadily decreasing under environmental laws as a variety of paint process technologies including water based paints and other new materials that eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other emissions, electric coating methods and the now the almost exclusive use of robots to precisely spray coatings have become standard. Continue reading →

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4,547 Worker fatalities in 2010 About Same as 2009 – 12 a Day

Posted on 26 August 2011 by Ken Zino

Because of the way data are gathered it is difficult to directly tally automaker fatalities. In Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, all heavily dependent on the auto industry, more than 350 workers died in manufacturing related positions; motor vehicle or parts dealers were involved in 49 fatalities across the U.S. And this doesn’t include trucking, warehousing or other transportation injuries, which could be auto related. Continue reading →

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Audi Recalls R8 for Potential Engine fires. Dealers Stop Sales

Posted on 16 August 2011 by Ken Zino

In a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), parent company Volkswagen said that a fuel line may rub through on an engine compartment heat shield and cause a fuel leak. No fires have been reported, but Audi has no way of knowing the number of the supercars affected.
Continue reading →

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