My wife works for one of the largest printers in the country. From August through October last year, nine of her co-workers died of COVID-19. All were shop-floor personnel who did not have the luxury of working from home. One was just 28 years old. None were vaccinated, despite ample monetary incentives to do so. Alarmed, the CEO held a companywide meeting via Zoom, begging employees to get vaccinated.
NASHVILLE, TN—A federal labor board is reviewing a decision by one of its regional officials to deny a union from trying to organize fewer than 100 of the thousands of employees at Nissan’s automotive assembly plant in Smyrna, TN.
CHATTANOOGA, TN—Volkswagen is giving workers at its assembly plant here a 10 percent pay raise as the COVID-19 omicron variant stretches an already-tight labor market.
ATLANTA and TEMPE, AZ—Market researchers at Deloitte Consulting LLP and the Institute for Supply Management recently disclosed their positive outlooks for manufacturing in 2022.
Over the next decade, tens of millions of batteries will be necessary to keep up with skyrocketing demand for electric vehicles. A new breed of supersized battery factories must deploy state-of-the-art automation while harnessing advanced supply chain strategies.
BOWLING GREEN, KY—General Motors restarted operations at its assembly plant here on Dec. 20, nine days after a violent tornado swept through Kentucky and damaged the facility.
The automotive industry is evolving toward new types of tire technology to meet the unique challenges of electric and autonomous vehicles. Long-time suppliers such as Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Michelin and Pirelli, which have made rubber products since the dawn of the horseless carriage era, are scrambling to adapt to 21st century demands.
Battery thermal management is a huge challenge in electric vehicles. In addition to increasing the risk of fire, high temperatures can have a direct influence on range. By efficiently controlling EV temperature levels, battery range can be maximized.
WARREN, MI—General Motors Co. plans to invest $70 million into its Tonawanda, NY, engine plant and more than $6 million in its Parma, OH, metal stamping plant. The investments are intended to support demand for GM’s Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.