Automation – Page 290
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ArticleAudi plans €20 billion investment programme
Germany – The OEM says its extensive scheme, to run between 2014 and 2018, will be directed at new models, innovations and the expansion of its worldwide production network. German sites will benefit, with more than half of the planned investment going to the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm sites. At the ...
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ArticlePradzinski becomes sales VP for Hyundai Motor America
US – The OEM has given Bob Pradzinski responsibility for National Sales, following the recent promotion of David Zuchowski to the role of president and CEO. Pradzinski is a 25-year veteran of Hyundai. Additional moves within the sales leadership team include: Allan Harriman replacing Pradzinski as director of Sales Operations; ...
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ArticleTata Motors’ Karl Slym dies on trip to Bangkok
Thailand – The managing director apparently fell from a hotel in the capital city, where he was staying in order to attend a regional board meeting. Slym took up his role with Tata in 2012, after stints with Toyota in the UK and General Motors in India and China. He ...
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ArticleDeLuca to lead GM’s manufacturing worldwide
US – As the successor to Tim Lee, who is retiring in April, Jim DeLuca will take the role of executive vice-president of General Motors Global Manufacturing, effective from the beginning of February. DeLuca, a 35-year GM veteran who is currently vice-president of Manufacturing for GM International Operations, will report ...
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ArticleInterview with Mick Horan, Tata Steel
AMS visited Tata Steel's new £3.1m profiling centre at Steelpark, Wolverhampton, UK, to speak to its director of heavy gauge decoiling and plate profilingJoanne Perry (JP): Tata Steel has a number of facilities across the UK and Ireland. What was the objective of the recent investment at Steelpark? Mick Horan ...
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ArticleToyota hits 150m manufacturing total
Japan – The OEM has announced that it reached the milestone for Japanese production in early December. The achievement occurred 78 years and five months after the first Model G1 truck was made at the Automotive Department, Toyoda Automatic Loom Works.The Corolla accounted for the majority of the total vehicles ...
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ArticleRise of 2.3% in UK engine production
UK – Statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that 2,553,316 units were produced in 2013, the highest total since 2008. The growth was driven by a 9.0% increase in output for the domestic market, while exports dropped by 1.7%. ...
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ArticleContiTech buys drive belt maker in Zhejiang
China – Taizhou Fuju Rubber Belt Manufacture has previously focused on producing drive belts for the automotive aftermarket and for industry in general. From spring 2014, ContiTech will also make V-belts and V-ribbed belts for the automotive OEM market at this location.ContiTech will make use of a 33,000m2 production complex ...
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ArticleVolvo lays out its plans for 2014
Sweden – In line with its €11 billion four-year transformation plan, the OEM has said it will introduce new technologies and a series of “industry-leading” innovations, plus the XC90. The XC90 will be the first model built on the company’s new SPA vehicle architecture as well as the first to ...
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ArticleHonda expands Malacca plant
Malaysia – The opening of Line 2 will double capacity to 100,000 units per year, with daily production increasing to 400 units. Honda has invested RM382m (£69m) in the new line, which has a built-up area of 49,190m2. The investment covers equipment and facilities as well as the building itself. ...
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ArticleUK's CV production plummets by 21.7%
UK – The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said that production fell to 87,671 units in 2013, owing to weak demand in Europe as well as the restructuring of manufacturing operations. Mike Hawes commented: “With early signs of recovery on the continent and better performance in the truck ...
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ArticleNakaguro to lead Nissan’s North American R&D
US – Succeeding Carla Bailo, who is retiring after 25 years at Nissan, Kunio Nakaguro will assume the role of senior vice-president, Research and Development, Nissan North America, in addition to his existing responsibilities as corporate vice-president, Research Center, Nissan Motor. Working from Nissan Technical Center North America in Michigan, ...
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ArticleCar production in UK hits six-year high
UK – Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that production rose by 3.1% in 2013 to surpass 1.5 million units, the greatest volume since 2007.Mike Hawes, CEO of the SMMT, attributed the increase to “surging home demand and robust exports outside Europe”. He added that ...
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Article
Car production in UK hits six-year high
UK – Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that production rose by 3.1% in 2013 to surpass 1.5 million units, the greatest volume since 2007. Mike Hawes, CEO of the SMMT, attributed the increase to “surging home demand and robust exports outside Europe”. He added ...
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ArticleQashqai on the mark at Sunderland
UK – The new generation model is now in full production, with one vehicle built every 61 seconds on the facility’s 24-hour Line 1. Nissan has invested £534m in the development and production of the Qashqai, which involves 224 suppliers in 22 countries. At a ceremony at the plant, Trevor ...
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ArticleZF and Kamaz inaugurate CV transmissions plant
Russia – Part of an investment package totalling €90m, the new facility at Naberezhnye Chelny, covers approximately 20,000m2 and will produce Ecomid and Ecosplit commercial vehicle (CV) transmissions.More than 95% of the transmissions produced at the location are for Kamaz, but other manufacturers are also supplied. The relocation to the ...
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ArticleOwsianski to lead Skoda’s Chinese sales
China – As executive director of Skoda Marketing and Sales Business at Shanghai Volkswagen, Thomas Owsianski will look after the brand’s marketing, sales and aftersales activities in the country. Taking over from Paul Willis, who has been appointed managing director of Volkswagen UK, Owsianski will assume his new role on ...
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ArticleBorgWarner begins El Salto engine timing manufacture
Mexico – As a global supply partner, the powertrain solutions company is now providing localised production for Volkswagen’s third-generation 2.0-litre and 1.8-litre DOHC 14 engines, which are built at the vehicle-maker’s new engine plant in Silao, Mexico, and power the VW Jetta and Beelte, plus other models for the US ...
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ArticleRöchling opens Wackersdorf plant
Germany – The plastics specialist has transferred its operations from a BMW-owned innovation park to a newly built production facility which cost €23m and covers 36,000m2. New equipment includes an injection moulding machine with a clamping force of 1,000 metric tons; another machine will be added by the end of ...
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ArticleMitsubishi ASX assembly begins in Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia – The model, known as RVR and Outlander Sport in other markets, is being assembled at Tan Chong Motor Assemblies (TCMA), a consigned assembler of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM). The ASX will be sold throughout the country from February. Morikazu Chokki, senior executive officer, said that since its establishment ...