Haworth Wins U.S. Government Contract

 U.S. Communities Awards Haworth National Furniture Contract

Holland, MI – November 27, 2012 – The U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance, a leading national government purchasing cooperative, today announced  a multi-year new contract with Haworth, Inc., a global leader in the design and manufacturing of office furniture and organic workspaces.  The agreement will provide state, local, and municipal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and schools with access to Haworth office furniture and organic workspace solutions at competitively bid pricing through December 2016 with four – one year renewals options through December 2020.

“Haworth is pleased to strengthen its long-standing relationship with U.S. Communities,” said Phil Todd of Haworth.  “Our network of more than 250 preferred dealers throughout North America is committed to providing best-in-class customer service.”

In addition to competitive product discounts, U.S. Communities participants will have access to reconfiguration and relocation services, design/layout, planning, installation, project management, financing options and workplace consulting.

“We are happy to continue to offer Haworth’s integrated office solutions to U.S. Communities participants,” said Chris Robb of U.S. Communities.  “Their sustainable product offering and workspace design expertise provide participants with lasting value.”

For more information and FAQs regarding Haworth’s U.S. Communities contract visit http://www.uscommunities.org/haworth/.

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Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the story of Grand Rapids, Michigan's transformation into, among other things, one of the Gay Friendly Cities in the U.S.

The story takes place on Medical Mile, a cluster of prosperity that includes a research institute, a Big Ten university and the West Michigan Science and Technology Center, an innovation incubator for entrepreneurs.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is available wherever books are sold, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Abbott Press.

Special autographed editions are available at the Schuler Books & Music stores on 28th Street in Kentwood, Michigan and in downtown Grand Rapids.

Chevrolet Spark EV is Pure, Electric Fun

2014 Chevy Spark

Expected range among best in EV segment

Advanced, U.S.-built motor and drive unit deliver best-in-class acceleration

Two seven-inch, high-resolution LCD screens display key vehicle functions and infotainment

Initial markets include California, Oregon, Canada, South Korea and other global markets

Optional SAE Combo DC Fast Charging capability enables Spark EV to charge to 80 percent in 20 minutes

LOS ANGELES – The 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV, introduced today ahead of the Los Angeles International Auto Show, packs smart performance and connectivity technologies into an affordable five-door urban mini car designed to make the trip as electrifying as the destination. It will be priced under $25,000 with tax incentives.

With the Chevrolet Volt, Chevrolet accounts for more than 50 percent of all plug-in electric vehicle sales in the United States and Spark EV builds on Chevrolet’s proven electric motor and battery development programs. When it goes on sale next summer, the Spark EV is expected to have among the best EV battery range in its segment and be the first electric vehicle to offer SAE Combo DC Fast Charging capability, enabling the Spark EV to reach 80-percent battery charge in just 20 minutes.

“When you engineer a technology-filled, all-electric mini car that goes from zero-to-60 mph in less than eight seconds, customers won’t miss the gas,” said Mark Reuss, president, General Motors North America. “The Volt and now the Spark EV show that Chevrolet not only knows EVs better than anyone else, we also know how to help customers get the most out of their EV experience.”

Inside the Spark EV, critical vehicle functions are clearly and intuitively displayed on one of the vehicle’s two reconfigurable, high-resolution, seven-inch color LCD screens, including a confidence gauge that shows the expected driving range based on driving habits and other conditions.

Spark EV also will keep urban drivers musically connected with Chevrolet’s exclusive MyLink radio that comes standard and safely brings smartphone-based infotainment – including apps for BringGo full-function navigation, TuneIn global internet radio, Pandora and Stitcher – into the vehicle. Apple’s Siri will ride shotgun, for customers with compatible (4S and newer) iPhones.
In addition to previously announced markets including California and South Korea, Spark EV will also go on sale in participating dealerships throughout Oregon, Canada and other global markets. Spark EV will be eligible for coveted high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in California.

The soul of Spark EV

Spark EV is powered by an advanced electric motor and battery system. It consists of a GM-designed, coaxial drive unit and electric motor that together deliver 130 hp (110 kW) and 400 lb.-ft. (542 Nm) of torque for instant acceleration; and a more than 20-kWh lithium ion battery is expected to provide among the best EV range performance in its segment.


The drive unit and motor will be assembled of U.S. and globally sourced parts at GM’s White Marsh, Md., manufacturing facility, and the first time a U.S. automaker has built both a complete electric motor and drive unit for a modern electric vehicle in the United States.
Spark EV’s long-life battery is designed to be safe, durable and reliable, and is warranted for eight years or 100,000 miles. It consists of a 560-pound (254 kg) square lithium-ion battery pack with a volume of 133 liters, comprising 336 prismatic cells.

“The Spark EV battery has undergone more than 200,000 hours of testing in our global battery systems labs,” said Pamela Fletcher, Chevrolet executive chief engineer of electrified vehicles. “It is extremely durable and has undergone the same abuse tolerance testing as the Volt battery.”

The Chevy Spark is just one more example of the Manufacturing Renaissance that is sweeping through Michigan and the Great Lakes Region. It is also a major part of the reinvention of our American communities.

For your copy of Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community, please visit www.rodkackley.com or any of your favorite online or brick-and-mortar retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Abbott Press.

And, as pictured in the photo....Last Chance Mile is now available through the downtown branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library.

Michigan Manufacturing:Growing Again

Manufacturing grows again in Michigan. A Grand Rapids-based group is looking at more than $5 million in capital equipment investment and plans to hire 56 people over the next year, all of whom will make, on average, better than $29 a hour.

Knoxville, Tennessee’s loss is Grand Rapids, Michigan’s gain. Hot Stamp Tooling Systems (HTS), which is managed in Grand Rapids, but manufactures in Knoxville, is going to move a new production line to Grand Rapids instead of expanding in Tennessee.

HTS builds hot-form stamping die sets for the auto industry and is one of several companies affiliated with Tooling Systems Group, a family of mold and die stamping, tooling, assembly system, machinery sales and contract machining companies.

According to paperwork filed at Grand Rapids City Hall, HTS will be investing close to $5 million in capital equipment for its new line in Grand Rapids. That includes a 1,000-ton hydraulic stamping press, two industrial ovens, and a robot to move materials from the ovens to the press.

This means HTS will have to hire ten people and will move 68 jobs from Knoxville to Grand Rapids with an average wage of more than $28 an hour.

The Grand Rapids City Commission has already approved an Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate for that project along with expansions at four other manufacturing operations that fall under the Tooling Systems umbrella.

Advanced Tooling Systems (ATS), the flagship company of the Tooling Systems Group, will be investing in $500,000 in new equipment over the next year and hiring 10 people who will be making an average wage of $29.59 an hour. ATS designs, builds, re-engineers, and services medium to large-sized sheet metal stamping dies and tooling systems. 

Yet another company that is part of the Tooling Systems Group on the northeast side of Grand Rapids is also expanding. Concept Tooling Systems, a designer and engineer of small- to large-progressive, transfer and line sheet metal stamping dies, is planning a $50,000 expansion. As a result, 5 more people will be added to the company’s 34-person payroll.  The average starting wage is $33.34 an hour.

One more hiring plan: Ultimate Gaging Systems, another of the Tooling Systems Group companies, is going to be hiring 12 people over the next year.

By end of their meeting Nov. 13, 2012; Grand Rapids city commissioners are expected to ask the Michigan Strategic Fund to put all of that into a Tool and Die Recovery Zone. State officials will look at that request later this week, Nov. 16, 2012.

The news that a company is going to invest more than $5 million—a relatively small amount when you compare it to the giants of manufacturing, and hire fewer than four dozen people might not seem like much to you.

But you have to look at this as another small step in the journey of bringing Michigan manufacturing back and think about this: Tooling Systems Group would not be growing if its customers up the supply chain were not also doing better.

This is the Manufacturing Renaissance, and I will have more on that in my next book, scheduled to be published before the end of the year.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is now available in hardcover, paperback, or e-book formats at all of your favorite online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Abbott Press.  Or you can ask your favorite bookseller to order a copy for you.

Of course you can also click the Buy Now button at the top of this page.

To find out more about Last Chance Mile and sample some chapters,  please visit www.rodkackley.com.

Ford Flexibility Makes History

Ford's Flexible Michigan Assembly Plant Makes History by Launching C-MAX Energi Plug-in Hybrid, Beating Toyota in Fuel Economy Across Lineup

 Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant has to be the perfect example of both the renaissance and reinvention of manufacturing. Take a look at the Ford press release below. 

You will see that this reinvention is not just about the vehicles being produced. It is also about the way they are being produced.

• C-MAX Energi is fifth major advanced technology, fuel-efficient vehicle to be produced at the transformed Michigan Assembly Plant (MAP) – the world's only plant to build gasoline-powered, electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles all on the same production line and the only one to produce four vehicles delivering 40 mpg or more
• After launching the new Escape, Fusion and C-MAX hybrids, Ford now beats Toyota in fuel economy in every segment where both compete
• The C-Max Energi is America's most fuel-efficient and affordable plug-in hybrid vehicle, delivering 108 MPGe city and "real car" horsepower of 195, eclipsing the Prius plug-in by more than 60 horsepower
• MAP's five fuel economy leaders, coupled with the all-new Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid and the nearly half a million EcoBoost-powered vehicles sold globally, cements Ford's fuel economy leadership position in 2013

Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant is making history with each new C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid that rolls off the line. It is the only manufacturing site in the world to build vehicles with five different fuel-efficient powertrains on the same line and the only one to build four vehicles that deliver 40 mpg or more in real-world driving.

Ford is committed to deliver eight vehicles for U.S. customers by year-end that deliver 40 mpg or more – a claim no other full-line automaker can match. MAP builds half of those – C-MAX Energi, C-MAX Hybrid, Focus Electric and Focus SE with SFE – helping Ford complete a lineup that now beats Toyota in fuel economy in every segment where they both compete

"Michigan Assembly Plant is setting a new global standard for flexible manufacturing, and is a central part of Ford's important milestone, sweeping Toyota across the board for fuel economy leadership," said Jim Tetreault, Ford vice president of North America Manufacturing. "The transformation of this plant is proof of how our One Ford plan has transformed our products, giving our customers industry-leading choices for hybrids, plug-ins, electrics and EcoBoost-powered vehicles."

Converted from a plant that produced two full-size SUVs, MAP is now the only factory in the world to build gasoline-powered, electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the same production line. MAP produces the following vehicles that offer Ford customers a range of fuel-efficient options versus Toyota and other competitors:

• C-MAX Energi – America's most fuel-efficient and affordable plug-in hybrid vehicle – is on its way to Ford EV-certified dealers in half the states across the country. As Ford's first production plug-in hybrid, C-MAX Energi provides customers with an all-new electrified vehicle offering that delivers a class-leading 108 MPGe city EPA rating, "real car" horsepower of 195 (versus Prius plug-in's 134 horsepower) and a leading EV-only speed of 85 mph, 20 mph above the Prius plug-in.
• C-MAX Hybrid – The country's most fuel-efficient and affordable hybrid utility vehicle is now the best-selling hybrid utility vehicle after outselling Toyota Prius v, 3,182 units to 2,769 units, in just its first full month of sales in October. C-MAX Hybrid delivers EPA-certified 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway ratings – 7 mpg better than the Toyota Prius v on the highway – for a 47 mpg combined rating – plus more performance and technology.
• Focus Electric – Officially America's most fuel-efficient five-passenger car, with a certified 110 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) city rating and 99 MPGe on the highway. Focus Electric, a zero-emission battery electric vehicle, also has been certified by the EPA to offer 105 MPGe combined, beating Nissan Leaf by 6 MPGe while offering more motor power and more standard features.
• The Focus ST – Its new 2.0-liter EcoBoost^® four-cylinder engine is certified at 32 mpg highway – better than its manual-equipped competition in the Volkswagen GTI and MazdaSpeed3.
• Focus with the SFE (Super Fuel Economy) package – This sleek small car delivers an EPA-certified 40 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg city through its advanced six-speed automatic transmission.

Four years ago, Ford's Manufacturing and Product Development teams began working together to develop product platform designs that enable the use of programmable equipment to produce multiple variations of products in one facility. Today, more than 80 percent of the tooling in the plant's body shop can be programmed to weld a variety of body styles. This allows Ford to quickly adjust the mix between models as customer preferences change.

In the final assembly area, Ford Manufacturing engineers collaborated closely with UAW representatives to design job stations that can be adapted to different kinds of work content, depending on the vehicle. For example, even though C-MAX vehicles have 1,074 separate parts from the Focus, both vehicles travel through nearly all of the same 604 workstations in the trim and chassis areas.
Several workstations play key roles in the plant's ability to build both electrified and gasoline-powered cars.

• In chassis, workers at one station have plastic fuel tanks on one side of the line and electric chargers on the other. Depending on the build sequence, they install either a charger in a Focus BEV, or a fuel tank in a C-MAX or gasoline-powered Focus.
• Several stops further down the chassis line, other workers attach either battery packs or exhaust systems, depending on the vehicle.
• In the trim area, multiple stations have been reconfigured so that a team of workers has a longer time window to do the complicated functions of installing a high-voltage wire and battery into C-MAX or Focus BEV, while being given quicker tasks to perform when gasoline-powered Focus cars come down the line.

In addition to the $550 million that Ford invested to convert MAP into a flexible factory, the company added a third crew of 1,200 workers in May, bringing total employment to 5,170 workers.

Fuel Economy Details
The Ford fuel economy leaders are:

Cars and Electrified Vehicles

• C-MAX Hybrid at 47 mpg combined beats Prius v by 7 mpg in the compact hybrid utility segment
• C-MAX Energi at 100 MPGe combined beats Prius Plug-in by 5 MPGe in the plug-in hybrid market
• Fiesta SFE at 40 mpg highway beats Toyota Yaris by 3 mpg in the subcompact segment
• Focus SFE at 40 mpg highway beats Corolla by 6 mpg in the compact segment
• Focus Electric at 110 MPGe city does not have a Toyota competitor
• Fusion 1.6-liter EcoBoost at 37 mpg highway beats Camry by 2 mpg in the midsize sedan segment
• Fusion Hybrid at 47 mpg highway beats Camry Hybrid by 9 mpg in the midsize hybrid sedan segment
• Taurus 2.0-liter EcoBoost at 32 mpg highway beats Avalon by 4 mpg in the full-size sedan segment

Crossovers, Trucks and SUVs

• Escape 1.6-liter EcoBoost at 33 mpg highway beats RAV-4 by 5 mpg in the small crossover segment
• Explorer 2.0-liter EcoBoost at 28 mpg highway beats Highlander by 3 mpg in the midsize crossover segment (Note: Flex 3.5-liter EcoBoost ties Highlander)
• Expedition at 20 mpg highway beats Sequoia by 2 mpg in the full-size SUV segment
• Edge 2.0-liter EcoBoost at 30 highway beats Venza by 4 mpg in the midsize crossover segment
• F-150 3.5-liter EcoBoost at 22 mpg highway beats Tundra by 2 mpg in the full-size pickup segment

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells a similar story, the story of Grand Rapids, Mich. as it shook off the "rust" to change the way it was thought of, and the way it thought of itself.
Available now at your favorite online retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Abbott Press.
 

Hear the Roar:Chrysler Growing in Detroit

Dodge Charger Juiced

We saw that auto manufacturing's roar is being restored on a macro-basis yesterday. Today we are going to drill down to the streets of the Motor City.

This announcement went out to media businesses desks during the morning.  Chrysler is expanding.

Media Advisory: Chrysler Group LLC to Announce Plans for Investment and Jobs in Southeast Michigan

 

What: Chrysler Group LLC Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing will join other state and local officials, UAW representatives and company employees to announce new investments and jobs in Southeast Michigan.
Where: Mack I Engine Plant
4000 St. Jean Avenue
Detroit, MI 48214
When:
Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012
Event begins at 11:45 a.m.
Press room will be open at 10:30 a.m.
Who: Sergio Marchionne, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Chrysler Group LLC
Dave Bing, Mayor, City of Detroit
General Holiefield, Vice President, UAW Chrysler Department
Bob Hollingsworth, Plant Manager, Mack Engine Complex, Chrysler Group LLC

No one is talking about how many more people might be hired to work at the Mack I Engine Plant or what size investment Chrysler is making at that facility. We do know that 144 people are working there today, making V8 engines for the Ram 1500 pickup.

I will make sure you know what is going to happen as soon as possible. 

There will be much more on the revival of manufacturing later this year, when Manufacturing Renaissance is published.

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Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is now available at all of your favorite online retailers like Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Abbott Press, along with the Schuler Books & Music stores in downtown Grand Rapids and on 28th Street in Kentwood, Mich.

You can also click the Buy Now button on this page.



 

The Roar Is Restored, Are We Ready?

Check out the latest auto industry forecast pasted below. The Detroit Three is back big time, the entire industry seems to be roaring again.

DETROIT, Nov. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PwC's Autofacts Global Light Vehicle Assembly forecast is 79.1 million units in 2012, increasing to 83.9 million units in 2013. Although a strong rebound in the automotive industry occurred in North America, it was tempered by continued struggles in Europe and several key Asian markets.

 

Autofacts' North America assembly forecast is currently at 15.3 million units for 2012.  The region will also benefit as a result of increased assembly localization from Europe and Japan as automakers look to minimize risk by expanding their global footprint.  The group's U.S. light vehicle sales forecast remains at 14.5 million units, driven largely by pent-up demand and increased availability of financing, despite the impact that Hurricane Sandy had on purchases in October.

 

"One thing that the industry can never fully predict is the effect of a natural disaster," said Brandon Mason, senior automotive analyst with PwC's Autofacts team.  "However, we do not think it will have a significant impact on full-year sales, as minimal inventory was lost and the supply chain remains largely intact."

 

The European Union remains the biggest area of concern, as continued weak demand has resulted in painfully low utilisation levels at some automakers, forcing the need for capacity rationalisation in the near future.  Assembly is still expected to stabilise over the next year, reaching 15.7 million units in 2013, an approximate increase of 100 thousand units compared to 2012.

 

"Europe continues to weigh against truly realizing global economic recovery," said Michael Gartside, senior automotive analyst, PwC's Autofacts. "We expect assembly to stabilise within the region over the next year with growth returning mid-2013.  This is on par for an overall recovery in the second half of the year and into 2014."\

Japan is experiencing a significant assembly boost to recover lost inventory during the natural disasters of 2011, but the long-term assembly outlook remains bleak.  Autofacts forecasts 9.1 million units of assembly in the country for 2012, which represents peak volumes during the forecast window through 2018.  Continued appreciation of the Yen, along with the overall trend of localisation to manage geopolitical and supply chain risks, are expected to result in an accelerated assembly shift to current export markets. 

For more details about PwC's forecast of Global Automotive Light Vehicle Assembly download the October issue of PwC Analyst Note at: www.autofacts.com.

 

So that is all good? There is no bad news? Maybe there is something to worry about. Are we ready?

Take a look at Restore the Roar, a free three-part series posted at www.rodkackley.com. Maybe we do have something to worry about.

 

More on all of this coming up in Manufacturing Renaissance, due out before the end of 2012.

 

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is now available at all of your favorite online retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Abbott Press, as well as your local bookstore. If it is not on the shelf, just ask your bookseller to order a copy for you.

 

 

 

Not Just Office Furniture Anymore

West Michigan's Big Three of office furniture--Steelcase, Herman Miller and Haworth--are far more than simple "office furniture" manufacturers.

The role that furniture plays in our lives has changed dramatically with the advent of laptop computers and especially tablets and smart phones. Add to that the fact that the world doesn't need as many offices because of those devices and it is easy to see why the industry has had to reinvent itself.

Here is a press release from Steelcase that makes that point:

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PHOENIX, Nov. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Nurture® by Steelcase has earned a fifth prestigious Nightingale Award in six years, this time for its new furniture system, Regard™, at the annual Healthcare Design 2012 Conference.

 

The competition is purposed with promoting and recognizing product design that contributes to the quality of healthcare, and focuses on functionality, quality, aesthetics, environmental sustainability and pricing.  A distinguished panel of interior designers and architects that specialize in healthcare design judge the products. The 2012 Nightingale Awards honor new evidence-based, innovative healthcare products introduced to the U.S. market since November 2011. 

 

Nurture's observations and evidenced-based research conclude that transitional moments are missed opportunities to improve patient satisfaction and enhance the relationship between provider and patient. Regard addresses these insights through a single solution – a functional line of modular seating, casegood elements, space division, power, tables, and even planters.  As an integrated system, the goal is to provide thoughtful applications that promote useful transitional experiences.

 

"Individuals have a desire to be more productive with personal devices. They also have a desire to be educated in their medical care. We're honored to be recognized for a product that addresses the moment-by-moment needs of people in common spaces," said Kyle Williams, vice president and general manager of Nurture. "This paradigm shift regarding in-between times is expected to have a positive effect on the patient experience now and in the future."

Regard makes common areas more productive in a patient's healthcare journey. It is designed for transition times that are often frustrating for patients and family members, and fail to reflect the intentions and brand promise of the healthcare provider. 

By empowering patients and their loved ones with choice within common spaces, users of Regard are enabled to experience learning, interpersonal connections, productive activity, and relaxation.  And this type of environment could impact a person's ability to absorb critical information.

"Whether through self-learning, group learning, or a patient-doctor meeting, Regard creates spaces that help people focus on what's important," Williams added. "We believe that having a better understanding and adherence to health instructions can positively affect patient satisfaction and experiences."

 

Another consideration for care providers is safe, functional environments that are easy to keep clean and properly arranged to promote infection control. Designed with crumb sweeps and minimal cracks and crevices, Regard prevents build up that often leads to infection. In addition, seats, which see the most abuse, can be replaced in seconds without tools.

 

From a functionality perspective, Regard's modular components connect to a robust, patent-pending frame system with a single tool. In addition, all components are elevated from the floor, eliminating redundant legs and structure often found in ganged seating, individual furniture components, and built-in space division (such as half height drywall elements). The system also allows for the re-configurability and replacement of components. Extreme testing considers bariatric loads in all seats of the island application. Flexible power locations, integrated tables, and casegood elements provide space and function for users seeking technology in order to be productive.

Product applications range from supporting intimacy to separating strangers without going so far as to isolate them. Island planning divides space, while forming intimate or group functional settings. A booth setting welcomes users into a microenvironment, one that is private without being closed off for users. Seating is well-ordered and addresses the needs of the growing senior and bariatric populations as well as children and those who rely on wheelchairs, adding a sense of security for more vulnerable patients.

 

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I'll have more on the reinvention of the office furniture industry as part of Manufacturing Renaissance due out before the end of 2012.

 

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is now available at your favorite online retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the Abbott Press online bookstore.

Or you can simply click the Buy Now button on this page.