FORT WAYNE, IN—Faurecia Clean Mobility, a global manufacturer of automotive emissions control systems, will invest $4 million to build a new assembly plant here, creating up to 144 new jobs by 2018.
MUNICH—Production at BMW’s assembly plant here came to a standstill for almost an hour after two workers passed out during their shift due to alcohol and drug consumption.
AURORA, ON—Magna International Inc.—North America’s largest auto parts maker—said a border adjustment tax being studied by President Trump would probably hurt the automobile industry, while also increasing the odds that future factories will be located in the U.S.
DETROIT——General Motors' Chief Executive Mary Barra announced Monday that the company has agreed to sell its European manufacturing arm Opel to rival PSA Group, maker of Peugeot and Citron. The announcement prompted claims that GM has shied away from the region due to proposals by the new Trump administration to impose punitive tariffs on importers into the U.S. However, GM will continue to distribute its iconic Chevrolet and Cadillac brands in Europe and will be on the lookout for "future collaborations" in the region.
BOWLING GREEN, KY——The Corvette assembly plant here will shut down for 3 to 4 months beginning in June, and then undergo a multimillion-dollar expansion and retooling for the production of its 2018 models.
Industry 4.0 technology promises to transform plant floors during the next two decades. It will also change the way that engineers and assemblers interact with machines.
Designing and building a multistation automated assembly system takes time. A simple project might take 12 to 14 weeks. A complex one could take three or four times that long.
During the early decades of the 20th century, Skoda Auto was a Czech automobile manufacturer with a few small plants (in Mlada Boleslav, Kvasiny and Vrchlabi) and a strong desire to meet the mobility needs of its citizens. But, that all changed after World War II.