Elm Analytics - Automotive Supply Chain Risk Digest #223 - May 14 - 20, 2021

CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT

Mazda Europe is promoting sales chief, Martijn ten Brink, to President/CEO. Brink has been the sales and customer service chief since 2016.

CLOSING

Parts supplier Eaton is closing its gear plant in Hastings, Nebraska. The closure will affect around 83 employees.

EXPANDING

Hyundai announced plans to build EVs at its Montgomery, Alabama, facility as part of a $7.4B investment.

GM is expanding its capability at its Pontiac Stamping Plant. The facility is adding new "Flex Fab" sheet metal fabrication and new presses to support EV production.

HUMAN CAPITAL

Stellantis is cutting over 1.6k jobs at its Jeep plant in Belvidere, Illinois, by July 26. The ongoing chip shortage has exacerbated production declines at the plant.

LABOR DISPUTE

Union workers at Volvo's assembly plant in Dublin, Virginia, have rejected a tentative labor agreement. They will continue to work as they negotiate the terms of the deal.

UAW 699 members at Nexteer's Saginaw, Michigan, plant will vote on a second tentative agreement. 85% of members voted down an agreement proposed this past February.

MERGERS, VENTURES, ACQUISITIONS

ZF is teaming with Intel's Mobileye to develop advanced safety systems for future Toyota vehicles. Mobileye will provide its camera-based SOC, and ZF will integrate it with its latest automotive radar system.

Luminar has partnered with Celestica and Fabrinet to produce its lidar solution in Monterrey, Mexico.

According to reports, SK Innovation and Ford formed a joint venture to build EV batteries in the US.

OPENING

Toyoda Gosei has opened a new airbag component plant in Monterrey, Mexico. The company is planning to increase airbag production by around 1.6-fold from 2018-2023.

Autoliv plans to build a new steering wheel plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Construction on the 322k sq ft factory will start in June and should be complete by January 2022.

QuantumScape and VW plan to build QS-1, an EV battery plant in Salzgitter, Germany. The pilot line will initially produce 1GWh with plans to expand to 20GWh.

RAW MATERIALS

ETAuto: Tin squeeze highlights critical minerals supply problems

RECALLS

Kia has recalled 440k vehicles for a second time to fix brake fluid leaks. The leak can cause a short leading to a fire, even when the car is not running.

Mercedes recalled 342k vehicles due to a software malfunction that can cause the display screen to remain black and not show backup camera images correctly.

REGULATION

Center for Automotive Research: A review of the Biden Administration trade agenda

The US Senate is taking up a bill that includes $52B to boost US chip production and research over five years.

Mileage-based usage fees are gaining traction as an alternative to fuel taxes.

RISK ANALYTICS

A new study from consulting firm AlixPartners estimates that the auto industry will lose around $110B in revenue this year due to the semiconductor shortage.

SHUTDOWN

Ford is idling its truck plants in Dearborn, Michigan, and Claycomo, Missouri, for the weeks of May 31 and June 7. The automaker will also idle its Chicago, Illinois assembly plant the week of May 31 and its Flat Rock, Michigan plant for the weeks of May 31 and June 7.