Industry Headlines

Solar Panel Manufacturer Offered Incentives to Build in New York SAN FRANCISCO, CA—Sunworks Solar LLC has been allocated 5 megawatts of low-cost hydropower to encourage the construction and operation of a $200 million solar panel manufacturing plant in western New York state. The new facility would create an estimated 175 permanent jobs and 300 construction jobs. MORE

Construction of VW Plant Continues

CHATTANOOGA, TN—Construction of Volkswagen’s auto assembly plant moved ahead this week. Schneider Electrical Inc. (Palatine, IL) has won a $3.64 million contract for electrical work on the plant’s heating and cooling building. In addition, Gestamp Corp., a Tier One supplier, announced plans to build a $90 million plant nearby to supply VW with stamped parts and welded assemblies. MORE

Boeing May Buy 787 Supplier CHICAGO—Boeing is reportedly interested in buying the Vought plant in South Carolina that suppliers fuselage sections for the 787 Dreamliner. MORE

Bombardier Wins Major Rail Contract MONTREAL—Bombardier Transportation has received an order from the city of Toronto for 204 light-rail vehicles worth more than $800 million. MORE

Manufacturer of Pallets, Containers Expands Facility DALE, IN—In response to growing demand for its custom material handling products, Universal Package Systems has expanded its facility here with a 9,000 square foot addition. The new space houses a variety of manufacturing equipment, including routers, saws, and welders used in to customize containers. MORE

Mack to Shift Jobs to Pennsylvania MACUNGIE, PA—Mack Trucks will move its highway vehicle assembly line to the Lehigh Valley this fall, but the move will not immediately create jobs because of weak demand. The shift, which will happen between September and November, means all Mack Trucks will be made in the Lehigh Valley. MORE

Airbus Building Parts Plant in China HARBIN, China—European aircraft maker Airbus has begun construction of a $350 million component plant to support its A320 jetliner assembly operations in the region. MORE

GM Half-year Sales Up in China DETROIT—General Motors has reported a 38 percent rise in sales in China in the first half of the year as demand for minivans and other small vehicles continues to grow. MORE

India to Begin Exporting Cars to the United States NEW DELHI, India—Cars and trucks bearing well-known names could soon arrive in the United States with “Made in India” on the window sticker. Automakers from around the world are already exporting Indian-built vehicles to Europe, the Middle East and the rest of Asia. MORE

Wisconsin MEP Helps Assembler Get Lean SAUK CITY, WI—When a manufacturer of farming equipment was having trouble keeping up with demand, it turned to the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership for help. MORE

GM Ends Joint Effort With Toyota DETROIT—General Motors Corp. is pulling out of its auto-assembly joint venture with Toyota Motor Corp. after the world’s two largest carmakers failed to agree on which vehicles to build at the plant. MORE

Ford Boosting Output DEARBORN, MI—Ford Motor Co. plans to add 25,000 more pickups, small cars and crossovers to its third-quarter North American output, for a 16 per cent increase from a year earlier. MORE

Transformer Assembly Plant Opening Soon in Georgia EFFINGHAM, GA—Portuguese conglomerate EFACEC plans to launch production of its electrical transformers at its new plant here on Nov. 1. EFACEC intends to hire more than 100 people at the facility by December, with plans to expand its workforce to 700 by 2017. MORE

Volvo Expands Pennsylvania Assembly Plant SHIPPENSBURG, PA—Volvo Construction Equipment began expansion of its manufacturing facility. The company, which makes large-scale construction equipment, is adding 200,000 square feet as part of a restructuring plan that will bring production of Volvo’s line of graders to Shippensburg. MORE

GM Picks Michigan Plant for New Small Car DETROIT—General Motors has announced that two facilities in Michigan originally slated to be idled will build a new future small car tentatively scheduled for 2011. MORE

Nissan, Tesla Get Federal Loans

WASHINGTON—With Tuesday’s announcement of a $465 million federal loan to jump-start production of fuel-efficient cars, Tesla Motors (San Carlos, CA) ensured its survival and helped raise the Bay Area’s stature as a hotbed of green innovation. The company will spend some of that money to open a $100 million advanced battery and powertrain manufacturing facility in the Bay Area. MORE

In the Southeast, the federal government also awarded a $1.6 billion loan to Nissan North America to manufacture electric vehicles and build a new battery factory in Smyrna, TN. MORE

GE to Build R&D, Manufacturing Facility in Detroit DETROIT—General Electric Co. plans to build a research, development and manufacturing facility for wind turbines in Metro Detroit. MORE

Renault Samsung Planning Solar Roof HAMAN COUNTY, South Korea—Renault Samsung Motors plans to install a 1.4 megawatt rooftop solar station at its new logistics centre in South Korea. MORE

Boeing 787 Delayed Yet Again EVERETT, WA—Boeing is postponing the first flight of its new 787 Dreamliner yet again because of problems with a “side-of-body” section of the aircraft. MORE

Durable Goods Orders Increasing WASHINGTON—New orders for durable goods jumped in May for the second month running, as companies ramped up their spending after months of holding back. MORE

Chrysler to Restart Seven Plants AUBURN HILLS, MI—Chrysler plans to resume building cars and trucks at seven of its 11 North American assembly plants on June 29. MORE

Big Three Improve Quality Standing, Says J.D. Power

DETROIT—Consumers who are considering buying a Chrysler or General Motors vehicle but are hesitating because of the impact bankruptcy might have on quality can take some comfort from the new J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Initial Quality Study. New vehicles sold by Chrysler, Ford and G.M. have improved in initial quality by an average of 10 percent from last year. MORE

Bombardier, CAW Trying to Avoid Strike TORONTO—The aircraft unit of Bombardier Inc. and the Canadian Auto Workers were making a last-ditch attempt Tuesday morning to avert a strike at the company’s assembly plant near here. After an all-night negotiating session, company and union negotiators continued talks beyond the original strike deadline. MORE

Toyoda Confirmed as Toyota President TOKYO—The grandson of the man who founded Toyota Motor Corp. has been approved as the automaker’s new president MORE

Government Helping Automakers Develop ‘Green’ Cars WASHINGTON—The Department of Energy has reportedly agreed to lend money to Ford Motor Co., Nissan and Tesla Motors in an effort to help those companies develop a new generation of fuel-efficient vehicles. MORE

Indiana County Approves Tax Incentives for GM FORT WAYNE, IN—The Allen County Council has unanimously approved a tax abatement for GM in what is likely the first of several incentives that local and state governments will provide to retain jobs at the truck assembly plant here. With the tax break, GM could save $600,000 over the course of 10 years. MORE

Bus Factory Coming to Tennessee GALLATIN, TN—Hundreds of jobs are on their way to Middle Tennessee after an announcement that a bus manufacturer is moving to the area. Silver Eagle Bus is moving to town, and bringing as many as 500 jobs along for the ride. MORE

V-Vehicle, Nissan Join ‘Green Car’ Race WASHINGTON—A new San Diego based start-up named V-Vehicle has announced plans to build fuel-efficent cars in Louisiana, while Nissan says it’s going to build electric cars in Tennessee. MORE

Chinese-Made Airbus Ready for Delivery TOULOUSE, France—A month after its maiden flight, the first Airbus A-320 commercial jet assembled in China is ready for regional service with Sichuan Airlines. MORE

BAE to Construct Oklahoma Assembly Plant LAWTON, OK—BAE Systems is moving ahead with plans to construct an assembly plant here to produce the Paladin cannon. Joe McCarthy, general manager of Heavy Brigade Combat Team Systems at BAE, said the company expects to receive construction proposals within the next couple of weeks and to move quickly to begin construction. MORE

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