Mar. - Apr. 2011
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Ford’s 2 ½ year program TVM to reduce costs from suppliers has saved Ford $1.5 billion while alienating many suppliers. Suppliers complain that: Ford has set unrealistically low ‘world prices,’ too many departments become involved and chaos reigns, has failed to help suppliers design cheaper components. To repeat a quote from an unnamed Quality Manager at a Ford supplier, “They just don’t get it…. |
Feb - Mar 2011
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As Ford Motor Co. and the Flat Rock plant it owns with Mazda Motor Corp. prepare to launch the 2012 Mustang in about six months, every effort is being made to ensure these are the most flawless Mustangs ever built. We |
January 2011
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Forty businessmen, labor leaders, and representatives from education and state joined in Michigan Summit to talk about saving manufacturing in the US. In the past 3 years 2.7 million manufacturing jobs were lost. 170,000 were in MI alone. |
Feb. - March 2010
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Microsoft invades the automobile. Microsoft announced they will integrate a product (quite cheaply) to the interior of the automobile. Its called the Tbox. Tbox is an integrated system for directions, information and connectivity to devices such as ipods. This year microsoft's software will operate 16% of all new vehicles telematics system. |
Late Summer 2010
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Aisin, a supplier of brakes, transmissions and other parts, plans a $30 million domestic expansion. They are a huge supplier to Toyota and can barely keep up. They just opened up a new test track in Fowlerville, MI last week. |
Summer 2010
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Morganthaler partners buys out Precision Gear of Twinsburg, OH. New name is Precision Parts International. They also bought MPI of Rochester Hills, MI and Skill Tool and Die of Cleveland, OH. Precision Parts will go from 200-500 million in sales. Plastech buys a new Visteon plant in Chicago. Plastech already has a plant in Ford Chicago Park. |
May - June 2010
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TRIBUTE TO FORMER PRESIDENT REAGAN: In 1983 as the economy was just coming around and a couple of days before Halloween, Reagan had just completed a press conference and was leaving the room. Sam Donaldson yelled to him, “President Reagan what are you going as for Halloween?” Reagan stopped, grinned and walked over to Sam. Placing his arm around him, Reagan said, “Well, Sam…I think I’ll put egg on my face and go as a liberal economist.” |
January 2010
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Fauerecia continues to grow by adding 5 new plants and up to 2,000 more employees. They are taking advantage of other suppliers legacy costs and entitlements to be more competitive. In 2004, they ranked 42 of the top 150 suppliers.
GKN is closing 3 Michigan plants in Romulus. |