Elm Analytics - Supply Chain Risk Digest #9 - April 8 - 14, 2017

BANKRUPTCY

Transmission and drivetrain supplier, Transtar Holding Co, emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after 5 months.

​CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT

General Motors has appointed Phil Brook to be the new U.S. vice president of marketing.

LABOR DISPUTE

India’s dockworkers are warning they may start a strike on April 19. This would affect India’s 12 major ports which control almost 70% of the nation’s imports and exports.

MERGERS, VENTURES, AQUISITIONS

Arconic is selling its rolling mill in Fusina, Italy to Slim Aluminium to supply the automotive industry.

Elio Motors partnered with Aisin Group to provide transmissions for the 3-wheeled vehicle that it is launching.

Nexteer has agreed to a joint venture with China-based Dongfeng Motor Parts to produce electric power steering systems for Dongfeng Motor Corp.

Global foundry Tower Semiconductor is teaming with Japanese automotive supplier Aisin Seiki. They will produce an automotive power management technology platform.

PLANT DISASTER

One person was killed and two others injured in a shooting outside of the Ficosa automotive parts plant in Cookeville, TN.

PLANT OPENING

Chinese automaker Qoros will build a new plant in Sichuan province, China with an investment of $797 million. The plant can produce 500,000 cars annually, including 200,000 new energy vehicles.

The Truck and Wheel group is building a 127,000 sf wheel assembly plant near Vance's Mercedes Benz facility.

Bosch opened a new plant to build electronic components in Changzhou, China. The plant will produce automated driving and connected products, cameras, radar sensors, electronic control units (ECUs) and gateways for connected vehicles.

PRODUCTION INCREASE

Toyota is investing a record $1.33 billion in their Georgetown, Kentucky plant. It will be the first plant in North America to begin producing vehicles using Toyota New Global Architecture.

Volkswagen will build a new 5-sear SUV in Tennessee at its plant in Chattanooga.

REGULATION

European Union regulators cleared Lear for its takeover of Grupo Antolin-Irausa. The Commission concluded there would still be competition in the seats and metals sectors.

RISK ANALYTICS

Tesla' market cap is now bigger than GM's; making it the largest U.S. based automaker by that metric.

When Alabama drew auto jobs south, it also got low wages and lots of injuries. An interesting discussion, on WBUR's On Point.

SUPPLY CHAIN

General Motors will idle many North American plants for a total of 10 weeks later this year. GM has increased inventory to retool for new models, including redesigned pickups.

The race to develop autonomous vehicle technology is reshaping the hierarchy of the automotive industry. Traditional top-down manufacturing relationships have been replaced with complex webs of alliances and acquisitions. Worth reading, if just for the infographic.

Japanese supplier, Alps Electric, file FCC documents reveal that GM is launching the largest fleet of autonomous cars.