Tag Archives: nafta

BMW Group Opens Plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Well starting four days from now prices will likely include a 5% tariff decreed by President Trump that increases by 5% each month until it stops – so far – at 25%. Every BMW Group vehicle today already contains at least one part from one of our 220 Mexican suppliers.   Continue reading

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Unifor Boycott Threatens Damage for Ontario Workers GM Says

“GM is arrogant enough to think it can rob Canada of jobs without repercussions,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias, who resisted the boycott at first. “GM is making a choice to increase manufacturing in Mexico while it abandons communities that have supported it for generations but make no mistake Canadian and American consumers also have a choice,” he concluded. Continue reading

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Variables Abound – Meet the New NAFTA

AutoInformed agrees that the text offers greater certainty about the future of North American automotive production, trade, and investments, the USMCA still must be signed, ratified, and the enabling legislation must be passed in each of the three countries before the agreement can go into effect on the target date of 1 January 2020. It’s by no means a sure bet. Continue reading

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Canada Frozen Out of United States-Mexico Trade Agreement

According to the Center for Automotive Research’s (CAR’s) latest trade briefing, applying a Trump’s 25% tariff on all automobile and parts imports would result in 2 million fewer U.S. vehicle sales, 715,000 fewer U.S. jobs and nearly $60 billion in lower U.S. economic output. The policy would increase the price of the average vehicle sold in the United States an average of $4,400 (including both domestic and imported products). Continue reading

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Auto Workers Oppose Trump Tariffs that Would Destroy Jobs

The United States directly benefits from GM’s ability to maintain a competitive edge and maximize the effectiveness of our operations on a global scale. The majority of the profits we earn from our global production and sales come back to the United States to support jobs, investments in our plants, and advanced R&D. Continue reading

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US Car Sales Plummet in February. Trucks Gain Again

The smoking tire and news wheel spin of the month – given Trump’s ongoing trade tirades amidst a complete collapse of White House staff support and an ongoing exodus – came from the American International Automobile Dealers Association Continue reading

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Offshore Brand US Auto Sales Rose During a So-So October

Even though Trump hasn’t implemented his promised offshore tax on imports or took on China for its currency manipulation and trade practices, international brands once again controlled the U.S.  auto market during September by selling 748,614 vehicles, commanding 55.3% of … Continue reading

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GM CAMI Workers on Strike in Canada, NAFTA at Root

“NAFTA is a non-starter without trilateral commitment and compliance to higher labor standards,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “Today we clearly stated our concerns to both countries and stressed the needs of all working people.” Continue reading

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Toyota R&D Centers Expand in Michigan

Clearly in the gun sights of nit-twit Trump, Toyota claims to have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 33 million cars and trucks in North America. It currently runs 14 manufacturing plants – 10 in the U.S., but with Mexico and Canada left out of the exact count. Continue reading

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What Auto Companies are at Risk Under Trump?

The U.S. accounts for two thirds of North American vehicle production, but there are significant investment plans and decisions in place at major auto makers to re-source capacity from Asia and Europe to Mexico, according to consultancy LMC. These are now under a Trump assault but are nonetheless expected to bring Mexican auto production from 19% of NAFTA today to 26% in 2020, no matter how bellicose Trump is. Continue reading

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General Motors Announces ~7000 US Manufacturing Jobs

GM also said it will begin work on in-sourcing axle production for its next generation full-size pickup trucks, including work previously done in Mexico, to operations in Michigan, creating 450 U.S. jobs. Continue reading

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Trump Triumphs? Ford Cancels Mexico Plant

This appears to be a partial victory for the twit tweets of Donald Trump that are centered around U.S. jobs. About 700 jobs will eventually be created. However, Ford will build its next-generation Focus at an existing plant in Hermosillo, Mexico “to improve company profitability.” Continue reading

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Un-Sweet Tweet – Trump Outburst Against Chevrolet Cruze

Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump today raged against General Motors, threatening to impose a “big border tax” for making some Chevrolet Cruze cars in Mexico. Continue reading

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Collision Course – Trump, Mexico, NAFTA

Despite what appears to be Trumps ill-informed trade views – if they are informed at all – CAR using data, not diatribes, observes that the major reason for this rapid growth of the auto industry in Mexico comes from the injection of $13.3 billion in investment to move 3.3 million units of vehicle capacity from Japan, Germany, and South Korea to Mexico Continue reading

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Trump versus Auto Industry – Outcome Could be Ugly

The crucial question – and unknown – is to what extent campaign rhetoric translates into real policy decisions under a Trump administration. In gridlocked Washington, this won’t be known for, well, who knows how long? Continue reading

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