All articles by aladmin – Page 4
-
ArticleGM makes plans for e-mobility up to 2023
US – The OEM said a “zero emissions future” will require “a two-pronged approach to electrification”, comprising battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell technology. GM pledged to introduce 20 new electric vehicles (EVs) over six years, including two in the next 18 months “based on learnings from the Chevrolet Bolt”.“General ...
-
ArticleBrose opens paint facility at Coventry
UK – The new e-coat line will enable the painting of more than 3.5m seat structures per year, according to Brose. The company invested £10m ($13.3m) and recruited an extra 30 personnel.“We have grown significantly over the last five years and have now reached a position where an in-house paint ...
-
ArticleMazda makes CX-5 at revamped Kulim
Malaysia – Production of the new model began at the end of August after an investment of 2.3 billion yen ($20.5m) to automate part of the body welding process and install a new paintshop. Mazda said the upgrade has brought its Malaysian operation into line with its “parent factories” at ...
-
ArticleSkoda hits 20m-unit milestone
Czech Republic – The OEM’s 20-millionth vehicle, a Karoq, rolled off the assembly line at Kvasiny more than a century after car production began at the main plant, Mladá Boleslav. The new Karoq will be launched in late October.“Producing 20m cars is a tremendous milestone in our company’s history. We ...
-
ArticleNovares opens Mioveni plant
Romania – Until recently known as Mecaplast-Key Plastics, the company said it has established itself in the country in order to be close to its main customer, Dacia. The factory near Piteşti is Novares’ first in the country.According to Novares, the objective of the new facility is to “support the ...
-
ArticleToyota Indiana hits 5m units
US – The milestone was reached almost 20 years after the start of production. The five-millionth vehicle was a Sequoia Platinum.Since the establishment of the plant in 1998, Toyota has invested $4.3 billion in the manufacturing operation and the workforce has grown to 5,300 personnel.Toyota operates ten plants in the ...
-
Article
Danowski to become PPG’s automotive VP
US – Moving from his current role as vice-president, operations, automotive coatings, Gary Danowski will become VP of the division.Tim Knavish, currently senior vice-president, automotive coatings, will replace Shelley Bausch as SVP, industrial coatings; Bausch has decided to leave the company. Knavish will also take responsibility for PPG’s packaging coatings ...
-
ArticleNissan hits 150m-unit milestone
Japan – The total has been reached 84 years after the company was founded; it took 73 years to make the first 100m but only 11 years to turn out the next 50m, following the increased expansion of the OEM’s production network beyond Japan. The majority of its vehicles are ...
-
Article
JLR appoints Marchand to Americas role
US – As vice-president Government and Industry Relations, Chris Marchand will direct the company’s interactions with governments and industry associations across North, Central and South America. He will take up the role on November 7.Marchand will report to Joe Eberhardt, president and CEO, Jaguar Land Rover North America, and Helen ...
-
ArticleGM goes green in Ohio and Indiana
US – The OEM announced that its manufacturing facilities in the two states will by powered by 100% renewable energy, through the purchase of 200MW from wind farms. When the turbines come online at the end of 2018, renewable energy will account for 20% of GM’s global electricity consumption.The 200MW ...
-
ArticleFord and Mahindra consider strategic alliance
India – The two companies announced that their teams will work together for up to three years to explore potential areas of cooperation, before any further collaboration is confirmed. A statement from the OEMs said their alliance would “leverage the benefits of Ford’s global reach and expertise and Mahindra’s scale ...
-
ArticleHonda Marysville starts making 2018 Accord
US – The production of the tenth-generation model has been enabled by a $267m investment in new technologies and processes, plus the addition of 300 personnel. The Accord has been a bestseller in America for the past 41 years.The investment at Marysville Auto Plant (MAP) included $165m for a new ...
-
ArticleHyundai names new leader for America
US – As president and CEO, Kyung Soo Lee will be responsible for the OEM’s sales and marketing in the country, beginning on September 18. After his temporary posting, Jerry Flannery has returned to his role as executive vice-president, chief legal and safety officer.“Mr. Lee has an in-depth understanding of ...
-
ArticleAlliance 2022 plan to boost synergies
France – The strategy aims to double annual synergies to €10 billion ($12 billion) through deeper cooperation between Renault, Nissan and the newest member of the group, Mitsubishi. This target follows a 16% increase in synergies last year to €5 billion.“To achieve this target, on one side Renault, Nissan and ...
-
ArticleHonda pledges electrification for Europe
Germany – The OEM promised that every new car model launched in the region will feature electrified technology, in an announcement at the Frankfurt Motor Show. At the same time, Honda unveiled its new electric vehicle (EV), the Urban EV concept, which it said will soon be in production.While the ...
-
ArticleMercedes GLC F-Cell in pre-production
Germany – The OEM presented the vehicle at the Frankfurt Motor Show as “the next milestone on the road to emission-free driving”. The GLC F-Cell features a new fuel-cell system and a lithium battery which serves as an additional energy source for the electric motor. The car will go on ...
-
ArticleVW launches electrification strategy
Germany – According to ‘Roadmap E’, the OEM will electrify its line-up by 2030, offering at least one electrified version of the 300 models across the Group worldwide. Volkswagen plans to introduce 80 models by 2025 and estimates that 25% of new Group vehicles, amounting to 3m per year, could ...
-
ArticleSchäfer to lead Aston in Europe
Germany – As president of the region, Ulrich Schäfer will be responsible for brand and sales activities in 19 markets and will report to Christian Marti, vice-president and chief sales officer at the Frankfurt headquarters. His predecessor, Mark Kenworthy, has become head of Global Dealer Network at Gaydon, UK.Schäfer joins ...
-
ArticleVW Amarok production begins in Quito
Ecuador – Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is supplying partner Fisum with completely knocked down parts for assembly by its affiliate, local contract manufacturer Aymesa. Around 2,000 Amarok Trendline vehicles with two-wheel drive or 4Motion will be made per year, potentially rising to 10,000 depending on demand.Josef Baumert, member of the board ...
-
ArticleNissan to grow new Leaf production
UK/US – Manufacture will begin at Sunderland in northern England and Smyrna, Tennessee, with these two locations joining Nissan Oppama, Japan, in the production of the new-generation vehicle by the end of 2017.“We’re proud to continue manufacturing the Nissan Leaf at three plants globally,” said Fumiaki Matsumoto, executive vice-president of ...