Latest News & Features – Page 188
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ArticleJLR-Chery’s Changshu plant starts operations
China – The first model to roll off the line was a Range Rover Evoque branded under the joint venture. Constructed over a period of two years, the 360,000 sq.m plant has an annual production capacity of 130,000 units.The Changshu plant of Chery Jaguar Land Rover Automotive (CJLR) accommodates welding, ...
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ArticleGM installing solar array at Lordstown
US – Consisting of 8,500 panels, the ground-mounted array will be the OEM’s largest solar installation in the Western Hemisphere. The project will be completed by the end of 2014.The renewable energy produced by the array will power almost 1.5% of the plant, which produces the Chevrolet Cruze; this will ...
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ArticleFord’s £190m investment at Dagenham
UK – Incorporating £8.9m from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, the investment will go towards making low-carbon, 2.0-litre diesel engines for passenger cars. This second phase of investment, which follows an initial £287m for commercial vehicle (CV) engines, will create 318 jobs.The phase one CV engines, developed at Ford Dagenham ...
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DFL-PV starts production in Dalian
China – The new plant in northern China joins the production network of Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company (DFL-PV) which consists of two facilities in Huadu, southern China, plus one site each in Xiangyang and Zhengzhou in central China. All five factories are manufacturing for the domestic market.Across a total ...
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ArticleSchlemmer breaks ground for Satu Mare expansion
Romania – A second production hall of around 4,000 sq.m will be constructed to significantly expand capacity and the company’s product portfolio. The existing plant, which opened in 2004, currently makes 70m metres of corrugated tubing each year for automotive and industrial applications.“In future, Schlemmer Romania will also manufacture injection-mould ...
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ArticleFirst Discovery Sport rolls off the line
UK – Made at Halewood, the pioneering production vehicle is destined for the Virgin Galactic headquarters, where it will be used by the team preparing to launch the world’s first commercial ‘spaceline’.“The new car embodies Land Rover’s spirit of ‘Above and Beyond’, so it’s fitting that it will be used ...
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ArticleBetim: Brazil's behemoth
The largest Fiat Chrysler plant in the world has already upgraded its press shop and assembly hall but is expanding still further with the construction of a new paintshop that will become operational in 2016Almost a city in itself, Fiat Betim covers 829,700 sq.m on 2.48m sq.m of land in ...
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ArticleGM Brazil's firm foundation
Established in 1930, São Caetano do Sul is the OEM’s oldest plant in South America and has required substantial modernisation, most recently receiving upgrades to its bodyshop and press shopIn August this year, General Motors (GM) announced a $2.9 billion investment in Brazil for the development of new products, technologies ...
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ArticleDPCA starts building fourth Chinese plant
China – The new facility in Chengdu will make Dongfeng Citroen, Dongfeng Peugeot and Dongfeng Fengshen vehicles, primarily for the SUV and MPV segments. Production capacity will be 360,000 vehicles per year and the first unit is due to roll off the line in late 2016.“Construction of the Chengdu plant ...
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ArticleVolvo Torslanda shifts up a gear
Sweden – The plant in Gothenburg will add a third shift and 1,300 personnel in the first quarter of 2015 to coincide with the production launch of Volvo’s new XC90 SUV. The move follows the opening of a new bodyshop in April this year which has raised the annual production ...
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ArticleGM adds 11 facilities to landfill-free tally
US – The newcomers have brought the OEM’s total to 122 manufacturing and other operations across Asia, Europe and the Americas which recycle, reuse or convert to energy all their waste from daily activities. The additional facilities will help GM to avoid more than 600,000 tons of CO2 emissions per ...
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ArticleBASF inaugurates Shanghai catalysts expansion
China – The launch of the expanded mobile emissions catalysts manufacturing operation comes at the end of a three-year project which has doubled the company’s capacity in the country by the addition of new light-duty emissions catalysts production lines, a new heavy-duty diesel catalysts plant and an automated warehouse. The ...
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ArticleTMMT celebrates 20 years of production
Turkey – Over the course of two decades, the Toyota plant at Sakarya has produced more than 1.5m vehicles. With 85% of its planned 135,000-unit output for 2014 destined for export, the facility ranks in the country’s top ten exporters.The plant has produced the 7th, 8th and 9th generation of ...
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ArticleIverson to lead new Castrol/TechSolve JV
US – Operating across the automotive, aerospace, construction equipment and machinery manufacturing industries, OPTIS will provide strategic advice, technology, data analytics and practical solutions to generate a competitive advantage by enabling manufacturers of machined parts to enhance the efficiency of their operations and supply chain. The 50:50 joint venture is ...
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Castrol and TechSolve establish JV
US – In what is claimed to be the first such agreement between a lubricant producer and a machining process improvement company, a new entity called ‘OPTIS’ will develop technology and services to enable manufacturers of machined parts to enhance the efficiency of their operations and supply chain. The 50:50 ...
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ArticleHuf opens new paint facility in Tennessee
US – The 5,300 sq.m unit is an extension of the existing factory at Greeneville and has been equipped with facilities for automated paint application as well as plastic injection moulding. Capabilities also include a pressure foundry, electronics production and assembly.“For around 75 years, we've produced door handles for the ...
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ArticleEditor's note: Winning ways
Flares, fires and petrol bombs flashed through the news this summer as Brazil battled riots sparked by its hosting of the FIFA World Cup – and as I prepared to embark on a tour of automotive production facilities in the region. Interestingly enough, the popular protests and my personal plans ...
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ArticleFord adds 850 jobs for new F-150 production
US – The new jobs are divided among three facilities: 500 for Dearborn Truck, 300 for Dearborn Stamping and more than 50 for Dearborn Diversified. As a part of the launch of the new F-150, Dearborn Truck Plant recently underwent a major upgrade which replaced legacy manufacturing equipment with the ...
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ArticleToyota production hits 9m in Europe
Belgium – The OEM started manufacturing in the continent in 1971 after establishing Toyota Caetano Portugal, which currently makes the Dyna commercial vehicle. Toyota now has nine plants, including three powertrain operations, in seven countries and has invested over €8 billion ($10 billion) in its European footprint. The 9m-unit milestone ...
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ArticleDaimler and BAIC agree €1bn localisation
China – The deal between the two companies will see further localisation of Mercedes-Benz compact cars beyond the GLA-Class at the Beijing Benz Automotive Co (BBAC) joint venture. The €1 billion ($1.2 billion) pledge is part of a €4 billion total that will be invested in BBAC by 2015.Production capacity ...