GM Renaissance Center Sends No Waste to Landfill

DETROIT, Dec. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The General Motors Renaissance Center – the six-tower office complex that dominates the city's skyline and has its own ZIP code – now recycles, reuses or converts all its daily waste to energy, diverting 5 million pounds of trash annually from landfill. That is the equivalent of 200,000 full garbage bags.

The drive to make the Renaissance Center, home of GM's Global Headquarters, landfill-free took more than two years. The process included coordination with GM employees, recycling partners, business tenants and their employees, the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center and property management company, CBRE.

"This is a significant achievement considering all the waste from workers, shoppers, diners and hotel guests — ranging from half-eaten hamburgers to used mattresses — that will not end up in a landfill," saidMike Robinson, GM vice president of Sustainability and Global Regulatory Affairs. "By working together, we reduce our footprint while helping build a greener economy and a greener Detroit."

The Renaissance Center is the most complex among GM's 110 landfill-free sites to reach the milestone. It's the company's only facility open to the public. Covering 5.5 million square feet, the building houses the Western Hemisphere's tallest all-hotel skyscraper, 11 other businesses, 20 restaurants and 27 retailers. It accommodates 12,000 office workers and 3,000 visitors daily.

The journey toward landfill-free began with a dumpster dive, searching through trash to identify reuse and recycling opportunities. Combining that insight with the building's historical waste data, GM teamed with all the business tenants, environmental staffs and CBRE to engage people in increasing paper, plastic, and battery recycling. Educating how and where to recycle, as well as making it convenient to do so, changed behavior.

A number of partners make landfill-free possible. GM worked closely with Waste Management, an international leader in recycling, to coordinate its needs with partners around the region to meet the goal. Royal Oak Recycling bales and ships paper to mills across the country where it is turned into items like cereal boxes and tissue paper. A Detroit nonprofit receives all returnable bottles and cans as a donation for youth outreach programs. Waste Management's Detroit Recycling Center recycles cardboard and plastic, and Veolia Environmental Services ensures batteries are properly recycled.

GM's abundance of recyclable waste contributed to the economic growth of a new business called Hamtramck Recycling. The company sorts the Renaissance Center's mixed packaging material and odd-shaped and bulky items. The company's bulk shredder helps GM and other companies in Southeast Michigan manage their waste streams and increase recycling.

The Renaissance Center now recycles 49 percent of its total waste, an improvement of 127 percent since the drive to landfill-free began in 2011. The remaining waste, including food scraps and used containers, is converted to energy through a facility located a few blocks away; creating renewable energy that powers other Detroit businesses.

Even with auto industry leadership in landfill-free facilities, GM and its partners are continually seeking better ways to manage waste.

GM published a downloadable blueprint , "The Business Case for Zero Waste", to help companies of all sizes and industries reduce waste and create efficiencies. For more information on the company'senvironmental commitment, visit its sustainability report and environmental blog.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an  American Community tells the story of how a cluster of prosperity was created in Grand Rapids while the rest of Michigan was crashing down around it.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is available wherever books are sold including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes, as well as on the shelves of Barnes & Noble-Woodland Mall, Schuler Books & Music-28th Street and West Coast Coffee-Monroe Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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

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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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

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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.

The Rising Tide of the Detroit Three

The rising tide of auto manufacturing is lifting all boats, again. As evidence of that, lets take a look at one West Michigan community that has long been a center of manufacturing prosperity.

“There has been a reversal in auto industry supply and we are seeing P.A. 198 applications (for tax exemptions) from food processers,” said Kentwood Economic Development Planner Lisa Golder. “These are two major areas where we had not seen much activity for a while.”

But they are seeing that activity now, and a lot of it. In just February, March and April of this year, Kentwood city officials have been asked to approve P.A. 198 applications for $27,762,327 in expansion and improvement proposals from four companies, three of which are auto suppliers; GRW Technologies, Inc., Lacks Enterprises, Inc., and Robert Bosch, LLC.  The fourth is in food processing, ConAgra Foods Packaged Foods, LLC.

“I believe the auto industry suppliers are getting ready for the needs of their customers,” Golder told me, pointing to the strong sales numbers in May from General Motors, Chrysler and Ford. “What is driving the food processors? I can’t speak to that, but a lot of these places do contract manufacturing for food producers. We don’t know who they are supplying but I am assuming that they are landing a lot of contracts and so forth.”

GRW Technologies moved its operations from Virginia to Kentwood in 2006. Three years later, the company that is an injection molding manufacturing company and a preferred supplier for all main Tier 1 manufacturers leased 42-thousand square feet of space on 44^th Street and is now expanding that footprint by approximately 100-thousand square feet. The project includes real property improvements like new automation lines for upcoming projects that are expected to increase sales and employment. The building’s HVAC system will be upgraded and other building improvements are planned. The tooling department will be relocated as part of the expansion.

The total project cost is estimated at $3.765 million.

Lacks Enterprises is planning a $7.431 million expansion of its Lacks 4260 Air Lane Drive plant where Lacks Exterior Trim System LLC is housed. The privately held global manufacturer of components for the auto industry is going to do a 90-thousand-square-foot expansion of the manufacturing space on the site. They are also planning to build a 3,600-square-foot office addition and a 6,500-square-foot addition to the plant’s warehouse space.

The project also includes the purchase of two, 935 ton and two, 1,500 ton presses along with supporting equipment.

Robert Bosch LLC plans to add $8.284 million worth of new production lines to its facility at 4700 Broadmoor Avenue in Kentwood. Those lines will be used to manufacture exhaust gas treatment modules for off-road and on-road vehicles. No one works at the site now, but Bosch executives have told city officials they expect to hire 80 people when the lines are up and running.

And finally, ConAgra Foods wants to increase the speed of production on its manufacturing lines in the company’s Kentwood facility. This will be the third upgrade at the plant. ConAgra put more than $30 million in machinery and equipment into the facility that makes nutrition and cereal bars in 2010 and 2011. This newest project’s cost is estimated at $8.281 million.

ConAgra has committed to hiring 137 full-time employees when the project is finished

The death of manufacturing has been greatly exaggerated. It is once again becoming a cluster of prosperity in Michigan.

Before we leave, a word to remember Kentwood Mayor Richard Root. He passed away Friday. It was cancer. Our best wishes and thoughts go out to his family and friends.