GM's Volt Electric Vehicle Plans A Go Regardless of
Bankruptcy
OEM LEADS – Ready for Corporate Members
NADCA Die Casting Industry Census Now Available
Over 30 Die Casters Go to Washington DC
Analyzing Industry Workforce Supply-Demand Dilemmas
Battling China on Price
GM's Volt Electric Vehicle Plans A Go Regardless of Bankruptcy
According to The Saginaw News (June 1), no matter what happens
with General Motors Corp.'s bankruptcy filed in New York today, a company official says the Volt electric vehicle
project is still moving in high gear.
And that could be good news for GM factories and suppliers operating in the Great Lakes Bay Region and Flint.
GM plans to build the 4-cylinder gas engine for the Volt at a GM factory in Flint. It also has hinted that it plans
to use Bay City's GM Powertrain factory to produce parts for the project.
While bankruptcy could drastically change the auto giant, the Volt remains a top priority, said Dave Darovitz, a GM
spokesman in Detroit for the project.
"Absolutely, the Volt is still on track to start production in late 2010," Darovitz said. "There is no slippage in
time as it relates to what's going on with our company. It's still the No. 1 product at GM."
To read this article in full,
click here.
OEM LEADS – Ready for Corporate Members
This is your monthly reminder to corporate members. Leads generated
during May can now be accessed by logging in to myNADCA.
Click here to login.
Not sure of your login? Click here to get your login resent. (link to www.diecasting.org/members/login)
Want to export your leads? Click on "Lead Report Data Export" and search ALL the leads by categories such as state, company
type, metal. Results can be viewed online or exported to an Excel document. If you need further assistance accessing the
leads, please contact NADCA President, Daniel Twarog at twarog@diecasting.org or (847) 808-3162.
NADCA Die Casting Industry Census Now Available
As the most current and collaborative report on the die
cast industry and companies, this census will prove to be of great value to all North American industry members.
Divided in to four reports, this document will allow readers to best charter the changes in the industry and
better market to end-market segments.
These comprehensive die casting industry findings include the most complete statistical results of the NADCA Census,
count of die casting companies, alloys cast, employment and additional services provided; die casting shipments
broken down by captive and custom; die casting machine estimates including size and alloys produced; and an
end-market analysis to assist with targeting and planning.
Corporate members get 50% off. Available in print or by download, this complete report is available on NADCA’s Web
site at www.diecasting.org/publications.
Non-members can purchase the print version for $1,000 or the downloadable
version for $600. Discounts for both versions are available to NADCA Corporate Members and Individual Members. The
downloadable version is also available for purchase in four separate sections. The Die Casting Industry Capabilities
Directory is also included with a purchase of the complete report.
Click here
to review and purchase.
Over 30 Die Casters Go to Washington DC
More than 100 U.S. metalcasters, including 30 die casting
representatives, visited Washington, DC, to attend the 2009 Metalcasting Industry Government Affairs
Conference, which was May 4-5 at the Capitol Hilton, Washington, DC.
Attendees heard from U.S. Congressmen and policy experts on key industry issues and met with their members
of Congress to discuss the impact pending laws will have on their business and the industry. The issues
discussed included card check, cap-and-trade legislation, health care reform and mandated leave benefits.
The two-day event featured presentations from Dr. Peter Morici, an economist from the Univ. of Maryland, who
provided an overview of the 2009 Economic Outlook and the role of the new Administration in fixing the
economy. Attendees also had the opportunity to hear from several members of the U.S. Congress, including the
ranking member of the Budget Committee, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and newly-elected
Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY). Congressman Guthrie is the first metalcaster in more than a decade to serve in
the U.S. Congress.
“Thanks to the many industry members who joined us in Washington,” said NADCA Board vice chairman Leonard
Cordaro. “Their presence made a difference and helped paint a well-informed picture of the state of our
industry for members of the U.S. Congress.”
Analyzing Industry Workforce Supply-Demand Dilemmas
Conventional thinking holds that companies engaged in metals
manufacturing suffer a shortage of skilled employees, especially young people just entering that industry. Yet
many of these companies may be operating at close to capacity, especially with the slow but steady return of work
from overseas after supply chain failures that illuminated the risks of offshore sourcing. Although skilled
manpower shortages are identified by workforce alliances and trade groups, there is a lack of effort by employers
to actively seek out and sponsor new hires. This suggests that either a true lack of manpower does not exist, or
that a lack is not severe enough to trigger company resource expenditures to correct it. In a weak economy
characterized by layoffs, skilled manpower needs are met temporarily, but the flow of new talent becomes a serious
challenge with no obvious solutions. To read this entire article from LINKS magazine,
click here.
To view the entire issue of LINKS, click here to login.
Battling China on Price
According to the Global Supply Chain Council (May 24), Businesses
say Chinese-made items are pricier than Mexican if you consider costs associated with quality, logistics, and
engineering changes
Like many U.S. purchasing managers, Fred Heegan found himself under pressure over the "China price." Heegan is
vice-president for global parts sourcing for the North American manufacturing operations of Takata, the Japanese
maker of automobile air bag, seat belt, and steering-wheel assemblies. Over the past couple of years, U.S.
customers often pressed him to cut costs by pointing to a lower-priced part from China.
But Heegan pushed back. He would patiently counter with PowerPoint presentations showing that many Chinese-made
items aren't such bargains when one considers the costs associated with quality, logistics, and engineering changes.
That's why he argued to have most parts made near Takata's factories in the U.S. and Mexico. "There are significant
hidden costs to having supply lines that extend to China," he says.
To read the entire article, click here.
