Ford, Tier 1 Suppliers Source More Than $10 Million From MEDC Matchmaking Summit

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

• More than 20 Michigan small businesses are awarded contracts with Ford and its Tier 1 suppliers
• 2013 Pure Michigan Business Connect Ford Matchmaking Summit opened the door to additional procurement opportunities that may not have been previously available to Michigan suppliers
• Ford has successful history of bringing together suppliers and small businesses, especially minority-, women- and veteran-owned companies

Ford and its Tier 1 suppliers awarded $10.4 million in contracts to Michigan-based companies through the 2013 Pure Michigan Business Connect Ford Matchmaking Summit.

Ford hosted the summit in March 2013 with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, in partnership with the Detroit Regional Chamber. Ford, the first OEM to host the summit, used the event to connect more than 300 qualified Michigan suppliers with 12 of the company's purchasing teams and 30 of its Tier 1 suppliers.

"For a program like Pure Michigan Business Connect to be successful, we need leaders like Ford and its commitment to grow our economy organically from within, and we thank them for their investments inMichigan," said Gov. Rick Snyder. "Their commitment, along with those of other PMBC members, means significant growth opportunities for Michigan companies."

Supply contracts for more than $11 million were sourced because of the summit, with $10.4 million originating with Ford and its suppliers. Ford directly sourced $5.8 million with Michigan-based small businesses, and its Tier 1 suppliers signed $4.6 million in contracts with local companies.

"The matchmaking summit allowed the Dura Automotive team exposure to high-quality Michigan small businesses that we otherwise would not be aware of," said Richard Hopkins, vice president of global purchasing, Dura Automotive Systems, one of the Ford suppliers that participated in the event. "We sourced more than $45 million with 200 local suppliers in 2013, including $9.2 million with diverse suppliers.  As aMichigan based company ourselves, Dura is thrilled to be supporting growth and job creation in our local community." 

Ford has a long history of "matchmaking" suppliers through its Supplier Diversity Development program, which celebrated its 35^th anniversary in 2013. Through the program, Ford aims to source at least 10 percent of U.S. purchases from minority, women and veteran-owned businesses. Since the program's inception, Ford has spent more than $67 billion with diverse suppliers.

Ford is committed to using home-grown suppliers. In 2012, the company purchased $15 billion in goods and services from Michigan-based companies.

"We are proud to be the first OEM to support Gov. Snyder's initiative to increase additional opportunities withMichigan small businesses," said Hau Thai Tang, Ford group vice president, global purchasing. "Ford recognizes the importance of our supplier network in the success and growth of our company, and we truly believe in profitable growth for all."

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance by Rod Kackley is a five-part ebook series that looks at the Great Collapse and the renaissance of manufacturing in Michigan. 

Buy Now wherever ebooks are sold including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Vook.

For more of Rod Kackley's books, articles, and essays, download the free Rod Kackley app for iOS or Android devices through the App Store or Google Play or go to www.rodkackley.com.

Ford To Hire Thousands, Build New Factories, and Launch 23 New Products

* Ford in 2014 will launch the most vehicles globally in a single year than in more than a century

* To support its aggressive growth strategy, Ford is set to open two manufacturing facilities in Asia Pacific and one in South America

* Ford to add more than 5,000 new U.S. jobs — including 3,300 salaried positions — in 2014 on top of more than 14,000 new hires in the past two years to support its growth momentum

This is the kind of news that could change the “bad track record” that George Erickcek, a senior economist at the W. E. Upjohn Institute in Kalamazoo pointed out during The Right Place Inc.’s Economic Outlook event, December 12,2013 in Grand Rapids.

He said manufacturers are having trouble getting young people to work in Michigan’s factories because so any jobs have been lost since 2000.

Now comes the news that Ford Motor Company is hiring thousands of people worldwide.

Of course this is happening because Ford believes it has A Better Idea, or maybe I should write, 23 Better Ideas.

Ford next year will launch 23 new vehicles to customers around the world, open three more manufacturing facilities and add more than 5,000 new jobs in the United States to meet growing demand for its products.

“We are embarking on our most ambitious global launch year ever to meet customer demand for our products around the world,” said Raj Nair, group vice president, Ford global product development. 

Ford expects its global launches next year to more than double those of 2013.

Ford Motor Company expects its product momentum to intensify in 2014 with 16 new vehicle launches in North America, including Lincoln. These new vehicles include Ford Mustang, Ford Transit Connect, Ford Transit and Lincoln MKC. In all, Ford expects to have about three times the number of product launches next year in North America than in 2013.

“We saw unprecedented growth in the United States this year, especially in the midsize and utility segments,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of The Americas. “With the addition of 16 new products to our showroom, including Ford Mustang, our momentum continues.”

Production of the all-new Transit will begin in second-quarter 2014 at Ford’s newly retooled Kansas City Assembly Plant. Ford is investing $1.1 billion to retool and expand the facility.

Kansas City Assembly Plant will add more than 2,000 jobs – more than 1,000 of which are new hires – to support high demand for Ford F-150 plus production of the all-new Transit family of commercial vehicles starting next summer.

To support the new products, Ford will open three new manufacturing facilities – two of them in Asia Pacific and one in South America.

Next year, Ford is on track to open its Changan Ford Assembly Plant No. 3 and Changan Transmission Plant in Chongqing, China, as well as Camaçari Engine Plant in Brazil. The new Chongqing Assembly Plant will increase the company’s production capacity in China by 300,000 units next year.

“This is the fastest and most aggressive manufacturing expansion the company has undergone in 50 years,” said John Fleming, executive vice president, Ford global manufacturing. “The last time Ford was growing like this, Dwight D. Eisenhower was the U.S. president.”

To fuel this growth, Ford plans to hire more than 6,000 employees in Asia next year, the vast majority of them hourly employees. Similarly, in the United States, Ford expects to create more than 5,000 new jobs, including 3,300 salaried positions, the largest hiring initiative since 2000. 

In the past two years, the company has created more than 14,000 jobs in North America alone.

More than 80 percent of the new salaried jobs will be technical professionals who work in product development, manufacturing, quality and IT.

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance is a five-part ebook series that explores the collapse and rebirth of manufacturing in Michigan. The series is available wherever ebooks are sold including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the stories of the people of Grand Rapids, Michigan and how they used scientists, physicians, artists and zombies — along with two of the richest families in the world — to chance the way the global community sees this American community.

Last Chance Mile is available wherever books are sold, including Barnes & Noble-Woodland Mall, Schuler Books & Music-28th Street, and West Coast Coffee-Monroe Center, Grand Rapids, as well as Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes.

For free reads of the Restore The Roar series and Last Chance Mile, please go to www.rodkackley.com or download Rod Kackley’s free app through Google Play or the App Store.

Ford Reinforces Commitment to Electric Vehicles With Workplace Charging Network

• Ford launches new workplace charging network, allowing more employees to accomplish their daily commute entirely on electricity
• Ford customers now have logged 30 million all-electric miles in the company's full range of plug-in electric vehicles, saving more than 1.2 million kilograms of CO₂
• Ford delivered its best August U.S. electrified vehicle sales ever with 8,292 vehicles sold, up 288 percent over the same period a year ago. August marks the 11^th consecutive month Ford achieved electrified vehicle sales records

More Ford employees soon will be able to drive to work entirely on electricity, thanks to a new workplace charging network being installed at nearly every Ford facility in the U.S. and Canada.

Ford plans to install electric vehicle charging stations at more than 50 of its company offices, product development campuses and manufacturing facilities. Installation will begin later this year and roll out across company facilities throughout 2014.

"Ford's commitment to sustainability extends beyond our fuel-efficient vehicles to include our daily workplace," said Mike Tinskey, Ford global director of Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure. "We know that a growing electrified vehicle infrastructure is key to making plug-in vehicles a viable option for more consumers. Ford is committed to doing our part to help grow that infrastructure."

Ford employees will be able to charge the all-electric Focus Electric, as well as Ford's two plug-in hybrids – the Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi – at the charge stations. The service will initially be free to employees for the first four hours. Ford estimates it will cost the company about 50 cents to fully charge a vehicle, saving employees up to $2 in gasoline each day.

Ford's workplace EV chargers are different from competitor programs in that they will be networked together. As a result, the company will be able to gather additional information on electrified vehicle use, such as the number of hours vehicles are charging and the amount of CO₂  reduced.

Ford already has more than 1,700 charging stations at Ford dealerships and company facilities in North America. The new workplace chargers will add approximately 200 more.

Throughout the U.S. and Canada, the number of charge stations – both public and residential – is growing rapidly. In 2009, there were 3,000 known public charge stations. Today, there are more than 20,000.

30 million electric miles

Ford Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi drivers typically make three of their four daily trips in all-electric mode, based on data from Ford's MyFord Mobile app. In fact, every 10 days, Ford customers drive approximately 1 million miles on electricity alone. In total, Ford customers now have logged 30 million all-electric miles driving the full range of plug-in vehicles, saving more than 1.2 million kilograms of CO_2.

Current customer data from the Fusion Energi and CMAX Energi is showing that three of every four trips are accomplished on electricity alone. By adding another charge during the day at the workplace, it is likely that employees will be able to accomplish all of their work week trips without using gasoline.

Electrified vehicle sales success

The popularity of Ford's electrified vehicles led to the company's best-ever retail U.S. sales results for Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid vehicles in August. That contributed to Ford's best August electrified vehicle sales ever, with 8,292 vehicles sold, up 288 percent over the same period a year ago.

August also marked the 11^th consecutive month Ford achieved electrified vehicle sales records. Nearly two-thirds of new Ford electrified vehicle sales are coming from buyers trading in other car brands.

Did you ever think you'd see the Detroit Three doing this well? It wasn't long ago that we suffered through The Great Collapse. Now manufacturers are asking "Where Are The Workers?"

Check out the five-part ebook series by Rod Kackley, Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance beginning with The Great Collapse, available wherever ebooks are sold, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes

For more of Rod Kackley's work including Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community, please go to www.rodkackley.com

Another Good Month For The Detroit Three

June 2013: Another Good Month For The Detroit Three

By Rod Kackley

Only a few years from being declared at death's doorstep and pleading for its corporate life in Congress,  General Motors Co. sold 264,843 vehicles in the United States in June 2013, up 6 percent compared with a year ago. Deliveries to retail customers increased 14 percent while fleet sales declined 9 percent due to the timing of customer deliveries. 

Total crossover sales were up 9 percent compared with a year ago; passenger car sales were up 4 percent, and truck sales, which include pickups, vans and SUVs, were up 8 percent. All four GM brands posted higher retail sales, with Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac posting double-digit increases. 
GM estimates that the seasonally adjusted annual selling rate for light vehicles in June was 15.8 million units, the highest level since November 2007. 

“America’s families are better off than they were at the beginning of the year and they believe – with good justification – that the economic expansion is going to continue,” said Mustafa Mohatarem, GM chief economist. “Even moderate economic growth will be enough to keep the auto sales rate in the second half of the year at healthy levels around the mid 15 million-unit mark.”

Ford Motor Company never took any help from the Obama administration during the worst years the auto industry had ever seen. The Dearborn-based automaker's U.S. June sales grew 13 percent compared with a year ago, marking Ford's best June sales results since 2006. Cars are up 12 percent, utilities are up 8 percent, and trucks are up 20 percent. 

"In June, we continued to see strong demand across the entire lineup," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. "We're particularly encouraged by strong retail share gains, especially in coastal markets, where the combination of great design and fuel economy is resonating with customers – including many buying a Ford for the first time."

Chrysler Group LLC limped across the finish line at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century.This is a company that needed and accepted help.  Look where it is now. The Auburn Hills automaker  reported U.S. sales of 156,686 units, an 8 percent increase compared with sales in June 2012 (144,811 units), and the group's best June sales since 2007.

The Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck and FIAT brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in June compared with the same month a year ago. The Ram Truck brand's 23 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand in June. Chrysler Group extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 39-consecutive months in June.

"Last month Chrysler Group set seven individual vehicle line sales records and achieved our 39th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales growth. The fundamentals for continued industry gains in new vehicle sales remain intact," said Reid Bigland, who heads U.S. sales for Chrysler.

Where Are The Workers? Manufacturing in Michigan is back. The roar has been restored. But where are the workers? One West Michigan company decided to grow its own.That story is told in this ebook essay, part of the Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance series. For a preview please click here.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the story of how the people of Grand Rapids, Michigan -- with the help of some of the richest families in the world -- changed the way  the world sees their community. 

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

Autographed editions of Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community are available through www.rodkackley.com as well as at Barnes & Noble-Woodland Mall, Schuler Books & Music-28th Street and West Coast Coffee on Monroe Center in Grand Rapids.

Tell Your Grandkids You Were There When....

You can tell your grandchildren you were there when the world started to change. You were there when the world started throwing off the shackles of petroleum-based fuel, when the world started moving to fuel-efficient vehicles, FEVs, because it just made sense.

Ford Motor Company told us June 27, 2013 that fuel-efficient products were driving their sales growth.


"Strong demand on the coasts lifts Ford's U.S. market share nearly a full percentage point to 16.2 percent through May, outpacing all competitors," according to  Ford press release.

Ford's overall growth spanned the full vehicle lineup; through May, U.S. overall car sales are up 12 percent, utility vehicle sales are up 18 percent, and truck sales are up 11 percent.

The story of a city that fell in love with beer. 
Quenching The Thirst, one of the Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance series of ebook articles and essays now available by clicking here.

"Our gains for the Ford brand in the U.S. are driven by our new products," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of The Americas. "We are absolutely committed to continuing the aggressive introduction of new products throughout our showroom."

Since the introduction of the new Fiesta three years ago, the Ford brand has achieved the fastest retail share growth of any automotive brand on the west and east coasts combined – up almost 2.5 percentage points compared with 2008 – based on Polk retail registration data. This year, the growth is largely based on share gains for the Ford Escape small utility vehicle and Ford Fusion midsize sedan.

"Ford vehicle technologies are helping to attract new customers and drive growth," said Raj Nair, group vice president, Global Product Development. "SYNC and MyFord Touch are also helping to deliver higher customer satisfaction." 

But what about getting rid of our cars and trucks? Or at the very least, what about parking them much more than we do now. What if Ford, General Motors and Chrysler faded into the history e-books and holograms that were our fantasies in Star Wars but will be your grandchildren's reality in their classrooms, if they even have classrooms. 

Grand Rapids, Michigan is one of America's municipalities that want to be ready for bicycle commuters. There are hundreds now. Could be thousands before you know it.
Here's a link to a story I wrote about that for Crain's Detroit Business.

Grand Rapids is not the city it was when I bought my home here in 2000 and it is a long way from the city it was in 1990 when I moved into this West Michigan community. What happened? That's the story told in Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community, available wherever books are sold including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Abbott Press.

Autographed editions are available at Schuler Books & Music and West Coast Coffee in Grand Rapids, or by going to www.rodkackley.com

Ford Breaks Annual Record, It Only Took Five Months

* Ford surpassed its previous full-year hybrid sales record set in 2010 of 35,496 vehicles in just the first five months of 2013

* Ford is projected to sell approximately 37,000 hybrid vehicles through May, for around a 375 percent increase over the same period last year

* Ford Fusion Hybrid is projected to deliver its best May sales ever; Ford Fusion Energi is also projected to achieve its best sales month since its introduction in February

* Ford C-MAX Hybrid and Ford Fusion Hybrid continue to draw new customers to the Ford brand, with conquest rates at 64 percent and 67 percent, respectively; Toyota is the top competitive conquest brand.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) bested its previous full-year hybrid sales record in just the first five months of 2013, driven by the product strength of its new electrified vehicle lineup including Ford C-MAX Hybrid, Ford C-MAX Energi, Ford Fusion Hybrid and Ford Fusion Energi, as well as Lincoln MKZ Hybrid.

Ford beat its previous full-year hybrid sales record of 35,496 vehicles in 2010 with projected sales of 37,000 through May, an increase of more than 375 percent over the same period last year. Ford is now second only to Toyota in the number of hybrid vehicles it sells in the United States with its market share continuing to grow, up from 3 percent last year to an all-time-high 15.5 percent through April 2013.

"We're working tirelessly to get as many hybrids to the market as we can right now to meet this unprecedented customer demand for our electrified vehicles," said Erich Merkle, Ford U.S. sales analyst. "The success we are experiencing with hybrids is energizing the whole company."

Ford C-MAX Hybrid and Ford Fusion Hybrid continue to draw new customers to the Ford brand, with conquest rates remaining highest in the Ford showroom since the launch of both vehicle lines. Fusion Hybrid conquest sales are holding steady at 67 percent, with C-MAX Hybrid at 63 percent. The new lineup continues to draw new customers from Toyota and Honda, with most conquest sales coming from Toyota.

Ford Fusion Hybrid continues to fly off dealer lots, attaining some of the highest turn rates in the Ford showroom. Fusion Hybrid is turning in just 14 days on average as customers are drawn to the all-new car's fuel economy, styling and design. This turn rate is even higher in key markets like Los Angeles, at just 10 days. Fusion Hybrid represents an all-time-high percentage of overall Fusion sales, at 15 percent.

Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid – the newest addition to Ford's electrified vehicle lineup – is also expected to achieve its best sales month ever since its launch in February.

"Our all-new electrified vehicle lineup is drawing new customers to the Ford brand," said C.J. O'Donnell, Ford electrification group marketing manager. "We're hearing from our dealers they literally can't keep our hybrids in stock."

~ LCP ~

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance, a five-part ebook essay series, beginning with the Great Collapse, tells the story of entrepreneurs who are bringing factories back to life in Michigan and putting blue collars back to work.

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance is available through Amazon and Vook.com.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the story of how the people of Grand Rapids, Michigan are working to change the way the world sees their community, the way they see the world, and the way the community sees itself.

Last Chance Mile is available wherever books are sold online including Abbott Press. Autographed editions are available through www.rodkackley.com

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is also available at Schuler Books & Music on 28th Street and West Coast Coffee on Monroe Center in Grand Rapids.

Auto Manufacturing Growth Continues, Ford Won't Be Slowing Down This Summer

* Ford will add an additional 200,000 units of annual straight-time capacity this year after increasing annual straight-time capacity by 400,000 units in the region last year.
* Ford will shorten its summer shutdown from the traditional two weeks to one week for a majority of North American assembly plants, increasing production by an extra 40,000 units
* This year Ford plans to add close to 3,500 hourly jobs to meet customer demand for the company's best-selling vehicles.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) will add an additional 200,000 units of annual straight-time capacity this year. In addition, Ford will produce an extra 40,000 units by idling select plants for only one week during what has been the traditional two-week summer shutdown.

"To meet surging customer demand for our top-selling cars, utilities and trucks, we are continuing to run our North American facilities at full manned capacity, and we will add 200,000 units of annual straight-time capacity this year," said Jim Tetreault, vice president of North America Manufacturing. "Approximately 75 percent of our plants are running at a three-crew, three-shift or four-crew pattern in order to ensure we're getting more of our products into dealerships."

This is the second year in a row Ford has taken the action in order to meet strong demand for its products.

To meet demand for Ford vehicles, the company will add nearly 3,500 hourly jobs in 2013. With its latest announcement of more than 2,000 new jobs at Kansas City Assembly Plant, as well as more than 1,400 new jobs at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, Ford is three-quarters of the way to its plan to create 12,000 hourly jobs in the United States by 2015. 

The company hired more than 8,000 salaried and hourly employees in the U.S. last year.

Did any of us doubt Detroit could come back like this? Be honest. We stood on the edge of the abyss and looked straight down. Yet somehow we have pulled back. 

That story is told in Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance, a series of ebook essays beginning with The Great Collapse.

Restore the Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance is available through Amazon and Vook.com or wherever ebooks are sold.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the story of how the people of Grand Rapids, Michigan change the way the world sees their community and the way the community sees itself. 

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

Autographed editions are available at West Coast Coffee in downtown Grand Rapids and Schuler Books & Music on 28th Street in Grand Rapids.

Ford, GM Continue Transmission Partnership

 For the third time in the past decade, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation have signed an agreement under which both companies will jointly develop an all-new generation of advanced-technology nine- and 10-speed automatic transmissions for cars, crossovers, SUVs and trucks.

The new transmissions, to be built in both front- and rear-wheel-drive variants, will improve vehicle performance and increase fuel economy.


The collaboration enables both automakers to design, develop, engineer, test, validate and deliver these new transmissions for their vehicles faster and at lower cost than if each company worked independently.

“Engineering teams from GM and Ford have already started initial design work on these new transmissions,” said Jim Lanzon, GM vice president of global transmission engineering. “We expect these new transmissions to raise the standard of technology, performance and quality for our customers while helping drive fuel economy improvements into both companies’ future product portfolios.”

These collaborative efforts have enabled both companies together to deliver more than eight-million durable, high-quality six-speed front-wheel-drive transmissions to customers around the globe.

Ford installs these six-speed transmissions in some of America’s favorite vehicles, such as the Ford Fusion family sedan, the Ford Edge crossover and Ford Escape and Explorer SUVs, while GM installs them into a variety of high-volume, award-winning products such as the Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Traverse, Chevrolet Equinox and Chevrolet Cruze.

That original collaboration served as a template for the new one. As before, each company will manufacture its own transmissions in its own plants with many common components.

“The goal is to keep hardware identical in the Ford and GM transmissions. This will maximize parts commonality and give both companies economy of scale,” said Craig Renneker, Ford’s chief engineer for transmission and driveline component and pre-program engineering. “However, we will each use our own control softwareto ensure that each transmission is carefully matched to the individual brand-specific vehicle DNA for each company.”

~ LCP ~

Manufacturing in Michigan is back. Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance, a five-part series of ebook essays, documents the fall and rise of Detroit's Big Three along with the creation of new industries that you might not of thought were part of the manufacturing chain.

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance, an ebook essay series, is available for immediate download by clicking here.

Ford Shares Profits, Bonus Checks Are Back

Big Three bonus checks were a part of life in Detroit in the 1960s and through the early years of the 1970s. 

Those checks were as much a part of the fabric of the Motor City as were the sounds of Motown on CKLW, underground rock on WABX or reading the latest notes of rebellion in the Fifth Estate.

CKLW and WABX are gone forever. Motown moved. But, the checks are going out again. 

Nearly 46,000 people who work for Ford Motor Co. will be getting profit sharing payments on March 14, 2013, thanks to Ford's 2012 pre-tax profits of $8.3 billion.

The average check will be $8,300 because of the UAW-Ford collective bargaining agreement.

However, full year pre-tax profit of $8 billion, or $1.41 per share, and net income of $5.7 billion, or $1.42 per share, were each lower than a year ago.

Still, Ford had its highest fourth quarter pre-tax profit in more than a decade — when trucks and SUVs were a more significant portion of the U.S. product mix — at $1.7 billion, or $0.31 per share, an increase of $577 million from fourth quarter 2011. Ford has now posted a pre-tax operating profit for 14 consecutive quarters

~~~~~

2013 Ford Fusion Hyrid

The Manufacturing Renaissance continues as does the reinvention of what we drive and how we drive.

An all-time record of 3,244 Fusion Hybrids were sold in December, compared to the previous mark of 3,010 in August 2010. The car is expected to achieve record January sales when results are announced Feb. 4. Nearly 70 percent of new Fusion Hybrid owners are new to the Ford brand, while Toyota’s conquest rate for its Camry Hybrid is only 53 percent.

“We’re bringing new hybrid buyers into the market, many of whom wouldn’t be considered traditional hybrid buyers,” said Amy Marentic, marketing manager, Global Small and Medium Cars. “There’s a sense hybrid buyers represent a pragmatic or green ethic. Fusion Hybrid is scoring with these audiences, but the car also puts some excitement into the segment through design; it shows hybrids can have beautiful and sophisticated styling. This, in turn, means different buyers.”

Not only are most buyers new to the Ford brand, early data suggest Fusion Hybrid is appealing to younger buyers outside the traditional hybrid vehicle demographic.

Ford reports new Fusion Hybrid buyers are five years younger than buyers of the previous Fusion Hybrid, dropping to 48 years old from an average of 53 years old. 2012 model year Toyota Camry Hybrid buyers have an average age of 54, according to J.D. Power and Associates PIN data. Moreover, 22 percent of Fusion buyers are under the age of 35; only 13 percent of Camry Hybrid buyers are that young.

Not surprisingly, Fusion Hybrid’s best-selling markets are San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., but Ford reports stronger sales in the more traditional buying areas of the Central, Southeast and Great Lakes regions – areas not known for strong hybrid sales. In these areas, retail sales more than tripled in December compared to the previous year.

Fusion Hybrid continues to have the fastest turnover rate (the number of days cars sit on dealer lots waiting to be sold) of any vehicle in the Ford lineup. Fusion Hybrid turns over in just 10 days on average.


~~~~~

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance

The Great Collapse

Manufacturing is Michigan. Michigan is manufacturing. The collapse of its manufacturing sector crippled Michigan for two decades. Finally, the roar is being restored in manufacturing and the state of Michigan. Yet there is much work to be done and there are some serious questions that have to be answered for the future.

The first five books in this ebook series are available at Vook.com and Amazon.

December Did Not Disappoint: Great Auto Numbers

Did you see these December sales numbers for the Big Three? Numbers were up around the world. Car makers from BMW to Volvo had a great month. However because of space limits I have decided to focus on what the Detroit automakers are doing. 

This is the Manufacturing Renaissance that we have been waiting for. Still, we have been burned by premature optimism in the past. Will these upbeat numbers continue through 2013? We will look at a forecast on that tomorrow. But for now, let's just feel good about these numbers.

----

General Motors Co.’s (NYSE: GM) U.S. dealers delivered the company’s highest December sales in five years, with deliveries up 5 percent year over year to 245,733 vehicles.

December was also GM’s best retail sales month of 2012. Retail volume was up 38 percent from November – about double the industry’s estimated increase. Incentive spending was competitive with industry-wide levels, according to J.D. Power PIN estimates, and remains below many Asian and domestic competitors.

“All four GM brands increased their sales year over year in December and we were strong across the board in cars, crossovers and pickup trucks,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president of U.S. sales operations. “We also achieved an important fuel economy milestone. In December, GM became the first U.S. automaker to sell more than 1 million vehicles in a single year that get an EPA-estimated 30 mpg or better on the highway.”

December Highlights

1. Total GM passenger car sales increased 14 percent compared with a year ago. Crossover sales were up 2 percent and sales of trucks, which include pickups, vans and SUVs, were equal to a year ago.
2. Compared with November, total car sales increased 18 percent, truck sales increased 52 percent and crossover sales increased 22 percent.
3. Combined mini, small and compact car sales were up 52 percent year over year driven by continued strong Buick Verano, Chevrolet Spark and Sonic sales; a 27 percent increase for the Chevrolet Cruze; and a 72 percent increase for the Chevrolet Volt.
4. Cadillac posted a double-digit year-over-year sales increase for the third consecutive month.
5. Cadillac passenger car sales increased 64 percent year over year as the all-new ATS and XTS continue to establish themselves in the luxury market.
6. Year-over-year sales of the Chevrolet Silverado increased 6 percent and sales of the GMC Sierra were up 13 percent. GM pickup sales were the highest since September 2008.

----

Chrysler Group LLC today reported U.S. sales of 152,367 units, a 10 percent increase compared with sales in December 2011 (138,019 units), and the group’s best December sales since 2007.

The Chrysler, Dodge, Ram Truck and FIAT brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in December compared with the same month last year. The FIAT brand’s 59 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand for the month. December marked Chrysler Group’s 33rd-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains.

For the year, Chrysler Group sales totaled 1,651,787 units, up 21 percent compared with sales in 2011. The Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck and FIAT brands each recorded significant sales gains during 2012 compared with sales in the previous year. The Jeep brand’s 13 percent sales increase in the U.S. helped push its global sales to an all-time record in 2012. Seven Chrysler Group models set annual sales records in 2012. 

----

Ford Motor Company’s U.S. sales grew across the board in 2012, with cars up 5 percent, utilities up 7 percent, and trucks up 2 percent for the year. Overall, the Ford brand ended 2012 with 2,168,015 vehicles sold – the only brand to top 2 million U.S. sales.

“Ford finished 2012 strong, with retail sales showing improved strength as more customers returned to dealer showrooms,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “Ford’s fuel-efficient cars and hybrid vehicles showed the most dramatic growth for the year, and we achieved our best year for commercial vehicle sales since 2008.”

Sales of Ford’s small cars were up 29 percent in 2012, with 316,006 vehicles sold, and overall car sales were up 5 percent in 2012, with 760,646 sold. Focus sales gained 40 percent during the year, and the all-new C-MAX continues its strong selling rate. In the first four months of sales, 13,309 C-MAX vehicles were sold, making it the fastest sales start of any hybrid vehicle in the industry.

Ford again became America’s best-selling brand of utility vehicles in 2012, with 619,470 vehicles sold. Escape broke its 2011 record sales levels with 261,008 vehicles sold, up 3 percent. Explorer gained 17 percent for the year, with 158,344 vehicles sold.

Ford trucks continued to dominate in 2012 – with F-Series America’s best-selling pickup for the 36th straight year and 31 consecutive years as America’s best-selling vehicle. Overall, 645,316 F-Series were sold, a 10 percent increase versus 2011. Total Ford brand truck sales – including Transit Connect and E-Series – were up 2 percent for the year at 829,477 vehicles sold.

Ford also remained America’s largest maker of commercial trucks for 28 years, posting a 7 percent increase in 2012. That marks Ford’s best year for commercial truck sales since 2008.

Last month, Ford delivered its best December sales results since 2006, with 214,222 vehicles sold – a 2 percent increase.

----

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance, a series of e-books, is in production and should be released in early 2013.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Abbott Press, along with Schuler Books & Music in Grand Rapids and Kentwood, Michigan.

Or you can simply click on the Buy Now button on this page for speedy delivery of an autographed copy of Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community.

Better Than You Thought: Dynamite December

2013 Chevy Spark

Let's end 2012 with a pleasant surprise. December should turn out to be a dynamite sales month for the auto industry. Cars are moving. Trucks are rumbling. New sets of keys are being pressed into the hands of proud owners at a rate we thought we would never see again just a year ago.

Next year should be just as good, if not a little better. What could go wrong? What if the industry can't keep up with demand?

We will get to that in a few paragraphs. First, the good news...

With annual year-end clearance events in full swing, new-car sales are expected to surpass 1.35 million units in December, pushing the industry's closely followed seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) to 15.2 million units, according to Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new and used car information. 

After a strong November and December, the final sales tally for 2012 should approach 14.5 million units overall.  This tally would amount to a more than 13 percent year-over-year increase and the third consecutive year of double-digit auto sales gains.  While incremental sales growth will continue in 2013, Kelley Blue Book does not expect to see a fourth consecutive year of double-digit sales gains.

With employment and consumer confidence expected to improve only modestly next year, Kelley Blue Book expects sales growth will come at a slower pace from this point forward.  While modest economic growth will help keep sales stable in 2013, Kelley Blue Book expects to see as many as 250,000 to 300,000 additional sales from consumers who will arrive at the end of their lease term next year. 

Although most signs point to additional sales growth in 2013, Kelley Blue Book will keep a close eye on the 'Fiscal Cliff' discussion, as a tax increase for middle-income households could slow sales growth through next year and beyond.

So, what could go wrong besides the Fiscal Cliff? How about this? The industry is not ready. I am not talking about the OEMs. I am talking about the supply chain that GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and the rest depend on.

More on that will be published in Restore the Roar, a series of e-books that will be out early in 2012. For now, take a look at the sample chapters that I have posted at www.rodkackley.com

∞ ∞ ∞ 

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

Special autographed editions are also on the shelves of Schuler Books & Music in Grand Rapids and Kentwood, Michigan and are also available by clicking the Buy Now button on this page.