Tag Archives: GM

President Obama and South Korean President Lee Defend Korean FTA at a Michigan General Motors Small Car Plant

Posted on 14 October 2011 by Ken Zino

President Barack Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak toured the General Motors Orion Assembly Plant on Friday and spoke to several hundred workers and guests in support of the pending U.S-South Korean Free Trade Agreement. The rally came as U.S. long term unemployment remain at record post Great Depression levels. Korea is the fifth largest producer and fourth largest exporter of motor vehicles in the world, and – up to now – its car market has been closed. Continue reading →

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More Jobs to China as GM Will Develop a New Global Engine Family with SAIC and Pan Asian Technical Center

Posted on 12 October 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors will develop an all-new global family of small-displacement “Ecotec” gasoline engines over the next several years in China in conjunction with the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC), Shanghai General Motors (SGM) and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC). Continue reading →

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S&P Raises General Motors to Highest Junk Grade – BB+

Posted on 29 September 2011 by Ken Zino

The upgrade came one day after the GM’s 49,500 UAW employees ratified a new four-year contract that will not raise GM’s labor costs, and will provide bonuses based on profitability instead of automatic pay raises. GM at this time appears to have the lowest labor costs among the Detroit Three since both Ford Motor and Chrysler UAW contracts are unresolved. It’s ironic that it took a Democratic President to curb the union – in essence breaking it – under the forced bankruptcy reorganization of GM, which included a no strike clause. Continue reading →

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OnStar Reverses Tracking of Ex-Users after Privacy Uproar

Posted on 27 September 2011 by Ken Zino

The OnStar privacy about face does not address what will remain an issue about OnStar’s data collection and reselling of current subscriber information. In the U.S. automakers and other marketers assume customer information is their property to do what they will with. This is the exact opposite of laws in place in Europe that stipulate the customer, not the company, owns and controls their information. 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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General Motors and LG to Jointly Develop Electric Vehicles

Posted on 25 August 2011 by Ken Zino

The high cost of developing new technologies to meet increasingly stringent CO2 and fuel economy regulations prompted the deal. Earlier this week Ford Motor and Toyota announced a collaboration on new hybrid trucks. Continue reading →

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Stanley Cup of Fuel Economy? Canada vs U.S. in EcoCar2

Posted on 16 August 2011 by Ken Zino

The competition employs Canadian engineering students, together with 13 U.S. university teams, to explore ways to reduce the environmental impact of vehicles without “compromising” performance, safety and consumer acceptability. Continue reading →

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GM CEO Akerson Buys Another 10,000 Shares at $25.05

Posted on 10 August 2011 by Ken Zino

Akerson vowed this week that there was plenty of upside in GM stock given its new structure and emphasis on managing costs. On a cost cutting side, one program with great promise involves vehicle architectures. Akerson said “We need to simplify.” The company said that by 2018 it plans to cut that number to 14 from the 30 currently use.

Skeptics, and there are many, say show us the earnings per share and start paying dividends. Well, at least Akerson is putting his money where his promises are, so to speak. Continue reading →

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GM Stock Below $25 down from $39 High as Conference Opens

Posted on 9 August 2011 by Ken Zino

During the program, senior leaders reviewed GM’s progress and outline plans for further improvement. In a sense GM is playing a “beat the reaper” game – can GM increase share and sales of less profitable small cars such as the Chevrolet Sonic, which is just entering production, at a greater rate than the drop off in truck sales and larger per unit profits in North America, while growing in Eastern Europe, South America and Asia? Continue reading →

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Cadillac to Introduce New Small and Large Cars in 2012

Posted on 4 August 2011 by Ken Zino

The announcement comes as Cadillac sales declined sharply in the U.S. during July, with disappointing total sales of 11,119, a 26% decrease compared to last July as its aging vehicle line was affected by increased incentives from German brands. Both of the new Cadillac models are aimed squarely at German luxury offerings. Continue reading →

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Passenger Car Sales Down in EU Again as Economy Struggles

Posted on 15 July 2011 by Ken Zino

However some winners are emerging. Volkswagen Group remains the powerhouse in Europe with 23% share year-to-date of the EU and European Free Trade Areas. BMW group also posted strong double digit gains, as did Nissan, although both are on relatively small basis. The same could be said for Hyundai and Kia, which now have combines sales of more than 345,000 units year-to-date, compared to Volvo’s 138,000. Continue reading →

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Akerson Praises GM at Annual Meeting as Stock Languishes

Posted on 8 June 2011 by Ken Zino

The weaknesses at GM remain in its sales of traditional trucks, with a 110 days supply of full size pickups; it’s heavy use of incentives, which remain higher than the industry average, (but are lower than the levels that drove it into bankruptcy); and gaps in updating the product line because of delayed programs at the end of the last decade when cash was short. Continue reading →

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CAR on U.S. Economy Impact of GM’s Plant Investments

Posted on 10 May 2011 by Ken Zino

In an analysis of General Motors’ newly announced plant investments, the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) today said that more than 28,000 jobs will be retained or created, and will contribute almost $2.9 billion to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. Continue reading →

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GM India Hires Scabs to Break Chevrolet Cruze Plant Strike

Posted on 15 April 2011 by Ken Zino

The General Motors India strike by the Gujurat Kamdar Mandal union is reminiscent of UAW sit down strikes during 1936-37 in Michigan, which led to recognition of the Union and the right to collective bargaining by the world’s largest automaker. Thus far Solidarity House, the UAW’s international headquarters in Detroit has remained silent on the GKM strike, and refused multiple requests for comment. General Motors in the U.S. simply says it is working with local groups in India. Continue reading →

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New 2013 Chevrolet Malibu to be Built in Hamtramck, MI

Posted on 11 April 2011 by Ken Zino

Starting in 2012 in the U.S., Malibu will be built at GM’s assembly plant in Hamtramck, Michigan, which is currently producing the Chevrolet Volt and will soon start making the Opel Ampera. This leads us to speculate that a hybrid version of the Malibu is in the works. What happens to the Fairfax, Virginia plant that currently builds the Malibu remains to be seen. Continue reading →

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