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Category Archives: manufacturing
Flames Instead of Primer in New GM Paint Process for Plastic
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
4,547 Worker fatalities in 2010 About Same as 2009 – 12 a Day
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
Posted in auto news, labor issues, manufacturing, news analysis, people, results, safety
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, autoworker fatalities, bls, car dealer fatalities, Ken Zino, manufacturing fatalities, worker fatalities, worker fatality statistics, zino
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Audi Recalls R8 for Potential Engine fires. Dealers Stop Sales
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.
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Posted in auto news, manufacturing, recalls, safety
Tagged Audi recalls, auto informed, auto news, auto safety, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, Ken Zino, nhtsa, r8 spyder recall, vw recalls, zino
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GM Rethinks ASEAN Strategy. Invests $150M in Indonesia
The investment represents a change in GM strategy in Asia by expanding GM production away from Vietnam and especially Thailand, which provided a good infrastructure and previously political stability. However, Indonesia has been widely derided for its corruption and red tape. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, manufacturing, news analysis
Tagged 500 units. In the first half of 2011, 500 units. This makes GM a mere footnote – at best – in the region dominated by Toyota. indonesia, asean, auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, gm asia, gm bekasi, gm southeast asia, GM’s sales in Indonesia rose 72% to 4, Ken Zino, Last year, michael dunne, sales were up another 18% on an annual basis to 2, zino
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Ron Bloom Resigns as Assistant to the President for Manufacturing Policy. Was Key Player in Auto Bailouts
Bloom was part of a team headed by Stephen Rattner at the U.S. Treasury Department that was responsible for forcing drastic bankruptcy restructurings and CEO firings at General Motors and Chrysler as they were on the verge of being liquidated in 2009. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, manufacturing, people
Tagged auto bailout, auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, Chrysler bankruptcy, fiat Chrysler, gm bankruptcy, Ken Zino, obama administration, ron bloom, steven rattner, taxpayer subsidies, united steelworkers, zino
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Toyota Yaris Now $14,875! Tundra and Sienna also Increase
The strong Japanese Yen is making itself felt on this side of the Pacific Ocean as Japanese automakers continue to raise prices. Japanese automakers are facing an unprecedented change in their competitiveness – they no longer have a price advantage over the Detroit Three or Korean automakers. In fact, companies that are heavily dependent on Japanese production of components and vehicles have a price disadvantage amounting to thousands of dollars per vehicle.
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NHTSA Investigating Ford Mustang Manual Transmissions
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigations has received 32 complaints alleging an unexpected inability to shift into gear on model year 2011-2012 Ford Mustangs equipped with manual transmissions. According to a filing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration some of the reports allege that the incidents occurred while merging into high speed traffic; others allege that incidents occurred while turning left across oncoming traffic. Continue reading
Toyota and Tesla to Build RAV4 EV at Toyota’s Woodstock, Ontario Production Facility, Not California
It was a blow to former NUMMI members in Fremont, California whose UAW plant was shut down by Toyota last year. It was hoped that production of the RAV4 EV would go into the plant when Tesla bought it in 2010. Toyota owns a stake in Tesla, and Tesla previously said that a Model S electric sedan will go into production at NUMMI sometime during 2012. Tesla’s latest financial results showed a $59 million loss for Q2. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, manufacturing, new vehicle, news
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, canadian taxpayer subsidies for Toyota, EVs, fremont california, Ken Zino, nummi, pruis, rav4ev, taxpayer ev subsidies, taxpayer subsidies, tesla, toyota ev, Toyota rav4 ev, zino
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Second Smallest U.S. Safety Recall in History? Toyota Recalls 32 Lexus RX 350 SUVs for Defective Antilock Brake Calibration
Toyota is recalling 32 model year 2011 Lexus RX350 sport utility vehicles equipped with vehicle dynamics integrated management (VDIM). The calibration for the hydraulic control valves from ADVICS manufacturing in Ohio is incorrect. Because of this safety defect, Toyota said in a NHTSA filing, there is a possibility that the right front wheel may not be controlled properly during antilock brake system operation or vehicle stability control actuation. Continue reading
Ford to Build $1 Billion Assembly and Engine Plants in India
India is projected to become the world’s third largest light vehicle market by the end of the decade behind China and the U.S. Continue reading
Volkswagen Starts Production of the New Beetle in Mexico
The German built Beetle was particularly successful in the United States, of course. The original and updates sold almost five million units between 1949 and 1981. The New Beetle continued the success, with a total of 1.15 million units built in Puebla selling between 1997 and 2010. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, manufacturing, milestones
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, golf, Ken Zino, mexico, new beetle, passat, puebla, volkswagen beetle, vw, vw mexico, zino
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Ten Honda Plants in North America Achieve Zero Landfill Waste
While all automakers have environmental initiatives well under way, Honda and GM appear to have the most sweeping company-wide programs in place. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, environment, manufacturing, milestones
Tagged auto informed, auto news, auto recycling, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, general motors, gm landfill free, honda, Honda manufacturing, Honda of America, Karen Heyob, Ken Zino, land fill packaging, landfill, recycling, zero landfill waste, zino
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GM Claims Landfill Free Leadership in Facility Recycling
In 2010, all of GM’s worldwide facilities combined – including regular and landfill-free plants – recycled 92% of the waste they generated. Continue reading
Chevy Recalls Colorado, GMC Canyon for Bad Transmissions
The safety defect in violation of FMVSS #114, which deals with the shift interlock design, is caused by a defective automatic transmission adjustment clip built in China. Continue reading
Ford of Europe CEO Stephen O’Dell Calls for a Comprehensive Industrial Policy and Rejection of Korean FTA
Odell also criticized a proposed Korean trade agreement, which in a different form is also controversial in the U.S. However, Ford in the U.S. supports a pending Korean FTA, which is opposed by all major U.S. unions except for the United Autoworkers. A Ford spokesperson was unable to explain the disparity in the conflicting positions. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, labor issues, manufacturing, news analysis
Tagged afl-cio, auto informed, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, cwa, eu industrial policy, eu korean fta, Ford, ford europe korean fta, hyundai, Ken Zino, kia, Korean free trade agreement, Korean fta, odell, richard trumka, trade, trade imbalances, u.s trade deficit, uaw, unemployment, usw, zino
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