Latest News & Features – Page 145
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Ricardo expands Shoreham plant
UK – The company says the site has now tripled in size and provides “significantly improved technical capabilities”, enabling “future low-volume, multi-variant engine production”. The expansion is self-contained and can operate independently of the Ricardo Shoreham Technical Centre.The expansion incudes a second dynamometer capable of simulating real-world load conditions and ...
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Nissan Resende gets new crossover
Brazil – Named Kicks like the concept car presented at the 2014 São Paulo Motor Show, the new model will be manufactured for global markets, starting with Latin America from 2016. Production will require an extra 600 workers and a second shift at the plant in Rio de Janeiro state.“Nissan ...
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GM’s LGR plant to add third shift
US – The vehicle-maker says the extra shift and 500 workers, both hourly and salaried, are needed to meet demand for the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro. Recruitment is underway so that the additional shift can begin in the second quarter.“This is the result of the award-winning vehicles Lansing Grand River produces ...
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Nissan production rises in November
Japan – The OEM said its output for the month rose by 6.2% year-on-year to 461,127 units, an increase for the seventh consecutive year. Production was 6.2% higher in its home country, at 66,680 units, although this represented the first decrease in two months.Production outside Japan rose 6.2% to 394,447 ...
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Ballantyne retires from Luxus
UK – As business development manager, Jim Ballantyne spent 15 years with the plastics compounder and recycler, including ten years bearing sole responsibility for this function before the sales team expanded. He joined Luxus from a plastics closure business.Ballantyne helped Luxus to enter a new phase, moving from the supply ...
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Yokohama Salem makes 80 millionth tyre
US – The milestone unit was produced during the plant’s 25th anniversary. Also this year, Yokohama Salem became a landfill-free operation and received the 2015 Environmental Warrior Award from the Virginia Water Environment Association (VWEA).Tetsuro Murakami, president of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia (YTMV), described the milestone unit and the anniversary ...
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Exler to lead Mercedes-Benz in America
US – Taking over from Stephen Cannon, who is leaving the company, Dietmar Exler, will become president and CEO of MBUSA and NAFTA, effective January 1. Cannon will remain as a consultant to MBUSA until the end of that month.“Dietmar's appointment is central to reinforcing our strategy and our standards ...
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Moro to lead Mazda in North America
US – Replacing Jim O’Sullivan, who is retiring, Masahiro Moro becomes president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). Moro is currently managing executive officer at Mazda Motor Corporation; he takes up his new role with immediate effect.Moro will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of MNAO’s business in the ...
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Magneti and Changchun Fudi establish lighting JV
China – The two companies have been manufacturing partners for powertrain parts since 2012 but will now also collaborate in the production and sale of lighting systems. The Magneti Marelli business, Automotive Lighting Reutlingen, will own 60% of the new company – Changchun Magenti Marelli Automotive Lighting System – while ...
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Cutting inserts
Mapal says it has developed a CVD-coated cutting material series tailored to the demands of boring in all cast materials – GJL, GJV and GJS. The new cutting materials HC720, HC725, HC730 and HC735 differ in the carbide substrate used in each case. The company claims they offer a heat-resistant ...
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Skoda’s 7m gearboxes, Mladá Boleslav
Czech Republic – The total produced so far includes 6m MQ 200 units and 1m of the MQ 100 variety. The two transmissions are used in Skoda and other Volkswagen Group vehicles.“Producing 7m manual transmissions proves the competitiveness of our component manufacturing in Mladá Boleslav,” commented Michael Oeljeklaus, Skoda’s board ...
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Multisensor
Werth Messtechnik says its multisensor has an image processing sensor and a laser distance sensor integrated in a single measurement head. The company says it utilises the standard Werth magnetic interface and can also be used with the 3D fiber probe or the Werth Contour Probe. The company claims measurements ...
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Webinar
ZEISS Webinar: Systematic quality assurance in car body construction
ZEISS's new solutions focused approach closes the gap between precise and flexible analysis through automated high-performance sample and batch measurements to 100% control with in-line inspection systems in the production line.With a complete product portfolio including:horizontal measuring machines HAM (including optical 3D-scanners)measuring robotsbluelight scanning systemsfixtures and big data analysisreporting softwareZEISS ...
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Opel/Vauxhall plants now landfill-free
UK – With the recent addition of Luton Assembly and Ellesmere Port Assembly, a total of 23 manufacturing facilities for the brands now recycle, reuse and convert to energy all waste from their daily operations – making Europe GM’s first region to be fully landfill-free.“We at Opel/Vauxhall see waste as ...
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ArticleIntegrating interiors
AMS visits IAC’s newly expanded operation at Halewood to witness its close integration with JLRInternational Automotive Components’ (IAC) operations in Halewood, UK, make various interior elements for the Jaguar Land Rover Discovery Sport and Evoque. According to Trevor Warner, general plant manager, these parts are delivered on a just-in-time (JIT) ...
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ArticleEditor's note: A good year?
I don’t usually do end-of-year round-ups, but the events of the previous 12 months posed a question that is worth considering as we begin a new year: was 2015 a good one for automotive manufacturing?The figures would suggest that the answer is ‘yes’. China’s automotive market continued to grow, albeit ...
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BMW heading for record production
Germany – The company said its international manufacturing network “has shown an excellent capacity utilisation” in 2015 due to high customer demand and the launch of multiple new models such as the BMW 7 Series. This level of production was enabled by the flexible manufacturing processes implemented at its facilities.“The ...
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ArticleDriving down the skills gap
If the automotive industry is to continue its progress, manufacturers will have to prioritise human resourcesThe US needs to fill no fewer than 3.5m manufacturing jobs over the next decade, according to Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, Washington. Meanwhile, UK organisations are pouring £42.9 billion ($64.7 billion) of investment into ...
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VW continues management restructure
Germany – There will be a reduction in the number of managers reporting to Mattias Müller, who became CEO in September after the emissions scandal emerged. In addition, several new appointments will be announced in the first quarter of 2016.“These structural changes speed up the decision-making process, reduce complexity and ...
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Vehicle emissions test automation
AVL claims its iGEM Vehicle offers solutions for passenger car, medium-duty, heavy-duty and motorcycle emission automation on chassis dynamometer testbeds.iGEM Offline evaluation software is included, which provides automatically validated reports. The company says a key feature is that the new iGEM Vehicle hybrid packages cover the regulations for EU, US ...