WICHITA, KS—Spirit AeroSystems, which assembles the fuselages for the Boeing 737, is planning to boost production to meet Boeing’s goal of producing 57 jets per month.
No matter which method you use to assemble plastic parts, you would have found the latest technologies at The ASSEMBLY Show. There were at least 10 suppliers of plastics joining equipment on the show floor, including first-time exhibitors Rinco Ultrasonics and Thermal Press International Inc.
ANN ARBOR, MI—Robot orders and shipments in North America set new records in 2015, according to Robotic Industries Association. A total of 31,464 robots valued at $1.8 billion were ordered from North American companies during 2015, an increase of 14 percent in units and 11 percent in dollars over 2014.
CHATTANOOGA, TN—The American Council of Employees at Volkswagen’s assembly plant here is supporting the automaker’s federal appeal of last year’s election, in which a small group of employees agreed to align with the United Auto Workers.
VALENCIA, Spain—Ford Motor Co. has developed a wearable device that, when connected to a smartphone app, enables assembly line workers to make faster and more accurate quality checks on new vehicles.
MOBILE, AL—Broetje Automation, a supplier of automated machinery for aircraft assembly, has opened a facility here to support Airbus’ new assembly plant.
WASHINGTON—U.S. manufacturers added 29,000 new jobs in January, after a net gain of just 33,000 in all of 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
ORANGEBURG, SC—Modifications are underway at GKN Aerospace’s assembly plant here, as the company prepares for the manufacture of inlet lip skins for the Boeing 737 MAX and 777X.
MORAINE, OH—GM and Isuzu are looking to hire 150 new workers for their joint-venture DMAX engine assembly plant here to meet increased demand for diesel truck engines.
VONORE, TN—JTEKT Automotive Tennessee, which manufactures steering components, will invest $218.5 million to expand its assembly plant here, creating 50 jobs.