OEMs and Suppliers – Page 25
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ArticleHitting the reset button
Given the scale and scope of its current restructuring programme, a very different Ford will eventually emerge. Ian Henry looks into the changes being made With one part or another of its shrinking global empire subject to significant change in terms of organisation or product focus, Ford ...
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ArticleA two-tone finish
Bi-colour coats and enhanced quality assurance are high on the agenda in the paintshop at SEAT’s Martorell factory. Michael Nash gets an inside look
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ArticleAt Liberty to explore
Honda has a big presence in the North American market, a key part of its recent strategy has been to build big cars to meet consumer demand. Michael Nash visits the company’s East Liberty facility in Ohio
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ArticleThe plastic problem
Dealing with pollution caused by waste plastic is high on the agenda for governments and environmental agencies. James Bakewell reports on how vehicle makers are making use of recycled plastics
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ArticleUS plants – stick or twist?
Several carmakers have recently outlined plans to alter their production activities in the US. Some announcements have been positive, with large investments being made to build new facilities as well as upgrade existing ones. Others have detailed plant closures. Here we provide an overview of the latest news regarding those ...
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ArticleCustomising production
James Bakewell reports on BMW’s growing use of additively produced parts in both vehicle personalising and series production applications
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ArticleWorking from home
Ian Henry looks at how Japan’s OEMs are faring in their native land as they intensify supply to their own domestic market The domestic manufacturing networks of the major Japanese car companies have been stable in comparison to the extensive reorganisation, expansion and product re-allocations that have taken place ...
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ArticleMuscovite foresight
Preparing assembly operations for a new SUV, Renault Moscow plant director Jean-Louis Theron tells Nick Gibbs about investments in automation and a renewed focus on quality Russia’s boom-and-bust car market makes operating a plant in the country incredibly difficult. Running one in Moscow, where staff turnover is ...
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ArticleScania sets sights on Thailand
Thailand - Scania has opened a new assembly facility for truck cabs, truck chassis and bus chassis in the Bangkok Free Trade Zone, Thailand. The Swedish OEM says that the move is an important part of its plan to strengthen its presence in the region. “With this new industrial establishment ...
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ArticleBuilding on framework
The Freightliner Custom Chassis plant in Gaffney, South Carolina, houses a diverse assembly mix, and has recently taken on a new project Gaffney is a small town sitting off the beaten track. It was previously described as ‘the peach capital’ of South Carolina, with the local economy dependant on orchards ...
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ArticleThe break-up of Fiat Chrysler gathers pace
A couple of years ago, Ferrari became an independent quoted company, separate from Fiat Chrysler. This was followed by the separation of CNH Industrials, the holding company for Iveco Trucks. Now Fiat Chrysler has spun off its components activity, Magneti Marelli, to CK Holdings in a deal worth over 6bn ...
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ArticleVan production boost at Renault plant
France - The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance has revealed new plans for the production of vans in the country. Specifically, €450m (US$393m) is being spent over the next five years to make the next-generation Renault Kangoo family at the Renault Maubeuge plant, where the Mercedes Citan van is currently built. The new ...
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ArticleJLR opens Nitra plant
Slovakia - Jaguar Land Rover has opened its manufacturing facility in Nitra, which is located in the west of the country, an hour’s drive from the capital Bratislava. It cost the company €1.4bn (US$1.59bn) to build, covers an area of 300,000 sq.m, and has an annual output of 150,000 vehicles. ...
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ArticleFord Bridgend makes petrol engines
UK - The OEM has started production of its new three-cylinder 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engines at the Bridgend plant in South Wales. This follows on from an investment of £100m (US$128m) in the facility. “I’m personally very proud to see production start of this all-new engine, here in Bridgend,” commented ...
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ArticleFord's future
The UK press was rather excited recently when one of the Sunday papers claimed that the Ford Mondeo would be axed. Given that this model is not, and has never been, made in the UK, such concern was perhaps surprising. This was part of a wide-ranging story that Ford was ...
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ArticleFrom prototypes to production
The use of additive manufacturing technologies has now expanded beyond their initial ‘rapid prototyping’ exclusivity. Mike Farish provides an insight As well as being used in limited production roles, additive techniques are still being applied in new and innovative ways as product development tools. One example is at the Plastics ...
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ArticleTwo-wheel e-mobility
BMW’s e-mobility ambitions have not been limited to four wheels; Nick Holt visits the company’s Berlin plant to see how its sophisticated C evolution maxi scooter is built
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ArticleA slow return to growth
Vehicle-makers in South America are seeing signs of recovery, boosted by growing exports, reports Nick Gibbs
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ArticleCollective thinking
Closer collaboration between product development and production teams could lead to significant improvements in vehicle manufacturing processes. Ford Otosan holds a unique position. Michael Nash reports The scenery in Turkey is full of surprises. A quick car journey can lead to towering mountains, pristine beaches and lush forests, while historical ...
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ArticleMercedes invests in East London plant
South Africa - Mercedes-Benz Cars has announced plans to produce the next generation of its C-Class in East London - a city on the southeast coast of South Africa in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality of the Eastern Cape province. To do so, it will spend €600m (US$528.84m) to construct ...