Elm Analytics - Automotive Supply Chain Risk Digest #38 - October 27 - November 2, 2017

EARNING DIP

Tesla has posted a record $671m loss for the third quarter. The company has attributed the loss to recent production problems with the Model 3.

INDUSTRY DIRECTIONS

Michigan leads the United States in the number of industrial robots. Dropping prices and new sensor technologies have pushed efficiency for manufacturers. Yet, workers are keeping an eye on reductions in employment.

Boston Consulting Group: The Electric Car Tipping Point

LABOR DISPUTE

The UAW is making a bid to organize 1,400+ workers at Fuyao Glass America in Dayton, Ohio.

LITIGATION

The investigation into UAW training centers that started with FCA has widened as federal investigators have now subpoenaed information about GM and Ford's training centers jointly operated with the UAW.

MERGERS, VENTURES, ACQUISITIONS

Ford's Argo AI, an artificial intelligence software developer, is acquiring LiDAR supplier Princeton Lightwave. The acquisition will help Argo's sensors and software with handling object detection in challenging scenarios, such as inclement weather and operating safely at high speeds.

AkzoNobel appears to be eyeing a merger with US based Axalta Coating Systems to create a $30b company.

France's Faurecia is establishing a joint venture with BYD to produce seats for the Chinese automaker. The seats will be assembled at plants in Shenzhen, Xi'an and Changsha, China.

European Commission approved Germany's Bosch and Chinese counterpart Hasco to jointly acquire electric power steering products maker ASCN.

Valeo finalized its acquisition of Germany's FTE Automotive. The companies received clearances from the European Commission and the Turkish Competition Authority. FTE brings a line of active hydraulic actuators.

Anadolu Group, BMC, Kıraça Holding, Turkcell and Zorlu Holding have launched a consortium to make Turkey's first domestically produced vehicle. 

PLANT EXPANSION

General Motors will invest $3.5m into its factory in Lockport, Canada. The site makes cooling components and systems within the GM ecosystem. It competes internally and against outside companies to make parts for GM vehicles.

German automotive supplier Schaeffler will expand its Wooster, Ohio facility. The renovation will enable the company to produce hybrid and electric vehicles.

PLANT OPENING

Continental is expanding its production of automotive electronics with a new plant in Lithuania. The plant will employ around 1,000 and open in 2019.

Toyota has opened a new $80m engineering and manufacturing center in Georgetown, Kentucky. The 235,000sf facility will house over 600 engineers and encompass all aspects of production such as stamping and assembly to environmental and safety.

Switzerland's Autoneum opened a new factory in Yantai, China. The facility will produce instrument panels and carpet. Plants in Changsha, Pinghu and Shenyang will launch between now and the end of 2018.

The joint venture between BMW Group and Brilliance China Automotive Holdings opened an EV battery plant in Shenyang, China.

China's EV company, SF Motors, has completed its acquisition of AM General's commercial assembly plant in Mishawaka, Indiana. SF Motors said its first vehicle will be produced here.

PLANT SHUTDOWN

Workers at the GM Lordstown, Ohio plant are preparing for downtime in early 2018. GM reported the worst sales performance of the Lordstown made Chevy Cruze in the past twelve months.

PRODUCTION INCREASE

Panasonic says that they have identified production bottlenecks at their joint venture GigaFactory with Tesla and that battery production will increase once the automation process is completed.

RAW MATERIALS

As automakers turn their focus to build electric vehicles, demand is surging to secure reliable supply chains for lithium-ion batteries. What do you need to worry about? Unfortunately, lots of things.

Chinese environmental reforms have driven up the price of alumina 56% since August.

REGULATION

Singapore is emerging as an autonomous vehicle center due to governmental prioritization and involvement.

Subaru has admitted it allowed unqualified workers to perform quality checks on cars produced for the Japanese market. The company is preparing to recall 255,000 vehicles for re-inspection by qualified workers.

At a recent summit, executives from the UK's biggest car manufacturers voiced their concerns over Brexit to prime minister Theresa May. One executive said clarity needs to be given soon as investment decisions can't be delayed much longer.

NAFTA negotiations are continuing to cause friction with the auto industry.

The province of Ontario, Canada announced 21 grants to automotive suppliers.