General Motors Sweeps North American Car/Truck Of The Year At NAIAS

DETROIT, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Silverado were named the 2014 North American Car and Truck of the Year Monday morning at a news conference at the North American International Auto Show.

The winners were chosen by a jury of 49 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada.

The awards – now in their 21st year - are unique in the United States because instead of being given by a single media outlet they are awarded by a group of automotive journalists from the United States and Canadawho represent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and web sites.

The awards are designed to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year. These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, comfort, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

The jurors gave the Stingray 211 points; the Mazda3 got 185 and the Cadillac CTS 94.

It was the sixth car win for General Motors. The Corvette also won in 1998.

The jurors gave the Silverado 219 points; the Jeep Cherokee 174 and the Acura MDX 97.

It was the fourth truck win for General Motors. The Silverado also won in 2007.

Domestic automakers have won North American Car of the Year 12 times. Japanese automakers have won three times. European automakers have won four times. A Korean automaker (Hyundai) has won twice.

Domestic automakers have won North American Truck of the Year 14 times. Japanese automakers have won four times. European automakers have won three times.

To be eligible a vehicle must be all new or substantially changed. The jurors considered dozens of new vehicles before sending their ballots to Michelle Collins, a partner at Deloitte & Touche early in December.

The "2013 North American Car of the Year" was the Cadillac ATS.

Last year's "2013 North American Truck of the Year" was the Ram 1500 pickup.

Blue Collar is the story of three Baby Boomers who survived the Great Recession that nearly destroyed Detroit. Now they need to learn to live again. But will it be too much for them? Check out the first chapters of this novel being written by Rod Kackley by clicking here, or downloading the free Rod Kackley app for Android and iOS.

Johnson Controls Sells Automotive Electronics Business To Visteon

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- This did not happen at the North American International Automotive Show in Detroit, but you know everyone is talking about it in the Motor City.

Johnson Controls, (NYSE: JCI), a global multi-industrial company with established core businesses in the buildings, automotive and energy storage industries, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its automotive electronics business to Visteon Corporation (NYSE: VC) for $265 million. Under the terms of the agreement, Visteon will acquire Johnson Controls' instrument cluster, infotainment, display, and body electronics products. The company previously sold the HomeLink® product portion of its electronics portfolio to Gentex Corporation in September 2013. 

"We are pleased with this agreement. Visteon is a good strategic fit for the business and will provide the right level of commitment and the best long term value for our customers and employees," said Alex Molinaroli, chairman and CEO of Johnson Controls.

This transaction will complete Johnson Controls' divestiture of the automotive electronics business which in aggregate realized total proceeds in line with original expectations of over $965 million.  

As previously communicated, the company elected to move away from automotive electronics as part of its broader strategy to focus on core businesses and reallocate capital to further diversify its portfolio and maximize shareholder value.

Visteon Corporation is a global automotive supplier that designs, engineers and manufactures innovative components and systems for virtually every vehicle manufacturer worldwide through businesses including Visteon Electronics, Visteon Interiors and Halla Visteon Climate Control Corp. Visteon's family of businesses generated $13.8 billion in sales in 2012. Visteon employs about 22,000 people in its consolidated operations in 29 countries, and has corporate offices in Van Buren Township, Mich. (U.S.);Shanghai, China; and Chelmsford, UK.

The acquisition is subject to certain regulatory and other consents and approvals and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of the 2014 calendar year. Other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Where Are The Workers? by Rod Kackley examines the problems facing manufacturers in Michigan as the roar is restored to the U.S. auto industry. Where Are The Workers? is available wherever ebooks are sold including Amazon,Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Vook.

Auto Industry Is Entering a Golden Age of Innovation, Says Boston Consulting Group

Regulatory Mandates, Changing Consumer Expectations, and Technological Advances Are Driving Increasing Innovation, According to New Research by The Boston Consulting Group

DETROIT, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --The global automobile industry is entering a new golden era of innovation and advancement, and the ability to innovate in four key areas—power train, lightweight materials, connectivity, and active safety and assisted driving—will be a major factor in individual carmakers' success in the years ahead, according to new research by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

The research, released today during the press preview of the North American International Auto Show inDetroit, draws on several sources, including the results of a new U.S. consumer survey, an analysis of patent filings, BCG's annual study of the world's most innovative companies, and the firm's experience working with major automotive companies around the world. The findings will be published in a BCG report later this month. Here are a few highlights:

Innovation in the global automotive industry is intensifying.

• Fourteen automakers are among the top 50 most innovative companies in BCG's 2013 survey, compared with 10 carmakers in 2012 and only five in 2005. Three companies (Toyota, Ford, and BMW) rank in the top 10, and nine automakers are in the top 20. For the first time since BCG began conducting this survey nine years ago, there are more auto manufacturers than consumer companies in the top 50 and more carmakers than technology companies in the top 20.
• R&D spending at these 14 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) increased at an annual rate of 8 percent since 2009, while spending at leading tier-one suppliers[1] rose by 5 percent a year.¹
• From 1995 through 2011, the number of patent applications filed by OEMs increased by only 3 percent annually, while the number of filings by tier-one suppliers rose 6 percent a year. A recovery from the 2008 crisis has resulted in the number of applications by tier-one suppliers leaping 37 percent, while the number by OEMs has jumped by 28 percent.

The focus on innovation has been in four areas: power train, lightweight materials, connectivity, andactive safety and assisted driving.

• The four areas had patent application growth rates of 6 to 15 percent from 1995 through 2011, compared with an average growth rate for all patent filings by OEMs and tier-one suppliers of only 4 percent.
• Filings in all four areas showed only an 8 percent decline from 2008 through 2009, compared with an average drop in the number of applications of 25 percent.
• Filings increased 10 percent faster than the average growth rate in the bounce-back years from 2010 through 2011.

Consumers value the introduction of new technologies and features.

• New BCG research on U.S. consumers shows that most car buyers want to purchase a car from a company seen as innovative—almost 60 percent say this is a very or somewhat important consideration.
• A key characteristic of an innovative automaker, according to car buyers, is being the first to introduce new technologies.
• U.S. consumers see features related to connectivity, safety, and fuel economy as the most innovative in today's vehicles. Most U.S. consumers rank connectivity and safety features in the top 5 of some 20 new features in vehicles today (see exhibit).

"Innovation in the automotive industry is retaking center stage," said Xavier Mosquet, a BCG senior partner and coauthor of the study. "Consumers want to buy cars from companies that bring new technologies to market, and connectivity, safety, and fuel efficiency are three of their top priorities. The ability to innovate in these areas will be a major factor in individual automakers' success in the coming years."

Regulatory and marketplace demands with respect to fuel efficiency, connectivity, and safety, as well as technological advances that are making new features possible and reducing their cost, are driving the renewed focus on innovation.

Mosquet, who coleads BCG's global Automotive practice, and his coauthors say that OEMs and tier-one suppliers need to address three areas with a sense of urgency:

• T he shift from mechanical to software-driven vehicles . Cars are no longer primarily mechanical devices. Rather, automobiles are increasingly becoming software driven (literally, as well as in other ways). Given the rise of electronics and the fact that software features reduce tooling cost, as well as allow for configuration later in the product development cycle, the shift to more software in cars will continue. This shift requires auto executives to think about product life cycles—and the involvement of their companies with them—in new terms.
• The quickening pace of product development. Consumer electronics and technology companies have taught consumers to expect a rapid pace of innovation. This expectation will make it more and more difficult for automakers and their suppliers to adhere to the current three- to five-year product design and development process. Car manufacturers will need to experiment with alternative design processes, new development models, and in the longer term, advanced manufacturing techniques. The ability to discern early what consumers see as the most valuable innovations will also create an advantage.
• The increasingly prominent role of tier-one suppliers in innovation and technological development. The importance of tier-one suppliers in innovation and product development will escalate. These companies are already playing a bigger role in innovation in the areas of power train, interior design, and chassis components—historically the R&D domains of carmakers. In addition, the determinants for differentiation are shifting toward connectivity and active-safety features, in which tier-one suppliers have substantial expertise. Those manufacturers that construct the most effective collaboration models, encouraging and rewarding supplier R&D investment, will build a long-term advantage.

"Other areas of innovation loom large as well, such as alternative fuels and assisted driving," said Massimo Russo, a BCG senior partner and coauthor of the study. "Those automakers that determine how to organize themselves to harness and direct fast-moving developments in power train, lightweight materials, and, most critically, software, electronic components, and connectivity will establish a decided advantage over competitors in the near and longer term."

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the stories of the people who changed the way Grand Rapids, Michigan is seen by the world. Buy Now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes or Abbott Press.

Last Chance Mile can also be ordered from your favorite bookseller, and is on the shelves of Barnes & Noble-Woodland Mall, Schuler Books & Music-28th Street and West Coast Coffee-Monroe Center, Grand Rapids.

Stryker Green Debuts on 2014 SRT Viper at North American International Auto Show

 

• Latest high-impact, hand-painted, show-car quality exterior color is available across Viper model lineup
• New 'Grand Touring' package brings standard Nappa leather seats, sophisticated chassis electronics and exclusive paint colors to the Viper's entry price class

The newest, high-impact exterior paint color for the SRT Viper is being shown for the first time at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. 

The Chrysler Group's SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand introduced "Stryker Green," an evolution of the iconic Snakeskin Green exterior color that first appeared in 2008, which features enhanced green and yellow pigments and a "liquid mercury" appearance. The color is the perfect choice for SRT enthusiasts that want to take their SRT Viper to the next level of exclusivity with a vivid and unique color that reflects light to show off the dramatic curves of the Viper.

"We're continuing to develop and build unique, low-volume, special-edition colors for the Viper that adds to the exclusivity of our American-built flagship supercar," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, SRT Brand and Motorsports. "Every SRT Viper is painted with a process that is very similar to what we use for our show cars.  The application of the new Stryker Green exterior paint is a very detailed and intricate process, taking approximately eight hours to complete. The process first starts with a base color coat followed by a green-tinted mid-coat and topped off with a clear finish. Each coat application adds depth and accentuates the curvature of the Viper's exterior design."

Also making its debut on the 2014 SRT Viper is the Grand Touring (GT) special package featuring standard Nappa leather seats, five-mode Electronic Stability Control and the two-mode Bilstein® DampTronic Select suspension, both previously only available with the Viper GTS price class. The GT option package will be limited to the new Stryker Green and Venom Black exterior colors.

Stryker Green exterior color will be available starting in February on the Viper GTS price class, and the SRT price class with the new GT package.

The SRT Viper isn't just the ultimate supercar, it's also a perfect canvas for high-performance parts and accessories from Mopar.

This Moparized SRT Viper showcases lightweight carbon fiber components with an exposed carbon fiber performance X-Brace, which is almost 50-percent lighter than the production version with the same strength and functional stiffness.

Additionally, a prototype aero package has been fitted to the show car with a Mopar carbon fiber rear wing and extended front corner splitters.

SRT Viper  

The fifth generation of iconic American-built supercar returned in 2013 as the SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand's flagship performance machine with more power and performance, superior craftsmanship, new technologies and creature comforts. Power from the all-aluminum, 8.4-liter mid-front V-10 engine delivering 640 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque -- the most torque of any naturally aspirated sports-car engine in the world, combines with triple-digit weight reduction to produce the best power-to-weight ratio of any Viper ever. Standard safety features include electronic multistage stability control, traction control and new 4-channel anti-lock brake system (ABS).

The iconic supercar is hand-built at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit -- the Viper's home since 1995. Both SRT Viper and SRT Viper GTS models offer new interior and exterior designs incorporating premium materials and new exterior surfaces with aerodynamically functional details that are beautifully integrated into the high-tech carbon fiber and aluminum skin. On the inside, designers and engineers strived to rethink all its touch points and upgrade all its material appointments and technologies. The Viper GTS model adds many premium features including a leather wrapped interior, five mode electronic stability control and a two mode adjustable suspension.

Chrysler Looks at Human Biology In Design of New CNG Vehicles

 

• Patent-pending technology mimics human lungs to benefit CNG-tank capacity, formability

• Technology development supported by grant from Michigan Economic Development Council’s Technology Innovation Challenge

• Chrysler Group builds the industry’s only mass-production CNG-powered pickup, a Ram 2500

Chrysler Group is looking inward – to the human body – for inspiration to design the next generation of fuel tanks powering compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles.

“Within the human lung are countless individual sacks called alveoli,” says Enrico Pisino, Chrysler Group’s Senior Manager-Innovation. “These sacks combine to expand the lung’s total air capacity. We are using this same approach to improve the packaging of CNG tanks.”

Chrysler Group’s work is supported in part by a $50,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Council’s Technology Innovation Challenge, which matches companies with Michigan-based strategic partners to accelerate advanced-technology initiatives.

While CNG has a per-gallon-equivalent cost-advantage of approximately $1 compared with gasoline, its energy density is less by volume. As a result, CNG-powered vehicles require larger fuel tanks to deliver range that is comparable to that of gas- or diesel-powered vehicles.

Current CNG tank designs also are limited to cylindrical shapes to accommodate the pressure at which the gaseous fuel is stored.

Chrysler Group’s patent-pending technology addresses both issues by expanding tank capacity and enabling designs that conform to the vehicle, as do other fuel tanks. The result is a no-compromise solution that preserves space intended for passengers and/or cargo.

Chrysler Group already has a CNG vehicle on the market. The Ram 2500 Compressed Natural Gas truck is the industry’s only factory-built CNG-powered pickup, rolling off the same assembly line as conventionally powered vehicles

Available for retail and fleet sale, the Ram 2500 Compressed Natural Gas truck features a 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine that burns CNG. When that fuel is depleted, it automatically and seamlessly switches to gasoline.

On a single fill-up, the truck can travel 255 miles on CNG and a total of 745 miles when equipped with an available 35-gallon reserve gas tank.

Chrysler Group has a long history with CNG. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the company produced dedicated CNG-powered full-size vans, minivans and pickup trucks.

Chrysler Group’s strategic partner, Fiat S.p.A, is a world leader in CNG-powered vehicle production.

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance, a five-part ebook essay series is available anywhere ebooks are sold including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes. The series begins with the Great Collapse, the story of the fall of the auto industry and how it brought most of Michigan down with it.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the story of how Grand Rapids, Michigan survived The Great Collapse with the help of scientists, artists, zombies (yes, zombies), and two of the world's richest families.

Last Chance Mile is available wherever books are sold online and 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, go to www.rodkackley.com and download his free app through Google Play and the App Store. 

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.

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.

What Is Manufacturing's Problem?

What Is Manufacturing’s Problem?

By Rod Kackley

Manufacturing drives Michigan. Every job created in manufacturing leads to 2.5 new jobs in the state, according to George Erickcek, a senior economist at the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.

He told his audience at the 17th Annual West Michigan Economic Outlook event in Grand Rapids all of the job growth in Michigan in 2013 was due to manufacturing.

However, manufacturing employment is still 24,000 jobs below the number of people working in that sector in 2000, and is 3,800 less than 2008. 

Still, there are jobs to be filled in Michigan’s factories. Skilled workers are in high demand. Where are the workers? Where is Michigan manufacturing’s lost generation?

Erickcek believes manufacturing is having so much trouble finding young workers to fill jobs that are being created by the resurgence of the auto industry and the retirements of seasoned manufacturing employees because it has such a bad reputation.

One generation told another factory life was not for them. And for once, their kids believed them.

“Manufacturing’s track record doesn’t look that good to eighteen-year olds,” Erickcek said during The Right Place Inc. event inside the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, December 12, 2013.

Yet, he believes manufacturing is going to continue to fuel Michigan’s economy. 

The strength of Michigan’s leading economic sector could actually be a blessing in disguise for those eighteen-year olds looking for work, and their parents who want them to stay in Michigan even if the teens have no desire to turn a wrench.

Erickcek pointed to 2014 auto sales forecasts of more than 16 million vehicles, and said, “The car industry is going to give Michigan the breathing room to diversify and no be such a one-horse town.”


Grand Rapids, Michigan has its own talent issues, which are an example of why diversifying is so important. Click here for that story.

Where Are The Workers, the second book in the five-part ebook series, Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance by Rod Kackley, is available wherever ebooks are sold, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and vook.com.

Scientists, artists, zombies and two of the richest families in the world helped Grand Rapids, Michigan change the way it is seen by the world, and the way the world sees this American community.

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

To order an autographed hardcover or softcover edition of Last Chance Mile, please go to www.rodkackley.com

For more books, articles, and essays written by Rod Kackley, please download his free app through Google Play or the App Store, or go to www.rodkackley.com.

Michigan Poised To Become Global Center of Mobility

DETROIT, Mich., December 11, 2013 — Michigan has the potential to grow up to 100,000 new jobs in the state’s important automotive sector by becoming a center of excellence in advanced powertrain, lightweight and smart/connected transportation technologies. 

That’s according to a strategy advanced today by Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM), the state’s business roundtable dedicated to making Michigan a Top Ten State for jobs, personal income and a healthy economy.

The BLM plan was developed with a coalition of top industry experts, the Center for Automotive Research and McKinsey & Company. The plan positions Michigan for long-term growth in the auto sector as it continues to transition to an increasingly advanced technology-based sector.  It is one of six strategies BLM is developing as part of its Michigan Turnaround Plan.

“The automotive industry is fast becoming a mobility industry,” said Bill Ford, Executive Chairman of Ford Motor Company and chair of BLM’s mobility initiative.  “While Michigan already is the automotive leader, we need to take actions now to ensure that we are the leader of the emerging mobility industry.”

Mobility refers to products associated with transporting people and goods, as well as sophisticated connectivity technology in vehicles to assist drivers with navigation, parking, road conditions and safety.  

Mobility also refers to multi-modal and intermodal solutions that integrate personal vehicles with public transit and reduce congestion and emissions. Michigan’s advantage in the mobility arena is rooted in the state’s leadership on R&D, production and supply companies that operate here. The automotive industry has the highest jobs multipliers of any sector of the Michigan economy.

Jay Baron, President & CEO of the Center for Automotive Research said, “Michigan iswell positioned to compete in powertrain and light-weighting technologies, but faces strong challenges from other competitive hubs in the emerging area of smart and connected transportation.  No place has a greater concentration of the auto industry, but Michigan must have a sharper focus and build greater public-private collaboration to ensure continued leadership as the industry evolves.”

"Michigan must build on its strengths,  while seeing and acting on emerging needs and shaping industry, technology, regulation and consumer trends,” said Hans-Werner Kaas, Senior Partner, Leader Automotive & Assembly Practice for McKinsey & Company and BLM board member.  

“Michigan has strong capital availability and an unsurpassed concentration of Original Equipment Manufacturers/suppliers and their respective know-how.  As the industry is transforming, Michigan must be aggressive in growing the talent pipeline, base of innovation and industry collaboration across the industry value chain.”

The BLM mobility strategy outlines six categories of action:

• Leadership: Support the creation of a state-level position/function to facilitate government’s role in growing the automotive and mobility industries. Other key leadership elements include an inter-agency partnership and the establishment of a private-sector mobility leadership group focused on implementing BLM’s recommendations
• Marketing & branding: Launch a marketing and branding campaign to support Michigan's strengths and aspirations in the automotive and mobility industries
• Strategic convening: Attract and create high-stature advanced mobility conferences and events in Michigan, anchored by economic development and B2B opportunities for attendees
• Talent development: Support the pipeline of new employees into Michigan’s mobility industry and design/offer education programs for universities and trade schools that deliver skill sets for future roles; support strong programs with adequate financial/tax incentives
• Collaboration network:  Develop a focused collaboration, research, and testing initiative, and work to attract mobility research centers; the state should explore competitive financial support models to attract critical future R&D investments in light of a global competitive context
• Capital attraction: Support the development of additional sources of financial capital, including venture capital, private investment, and innovative business arrangements to attract new funds

“This strategy provides an exciting, fact-based roadmap to grow one of our state’s most important industries,” said Doug Rothwell, BLM President & CEO.   “Currently, Michigan is home to 70 percent of all U.S. automotive R&D expenditures, and 13 percent of global R&D spending. Coupled with the state’s top ranking as home to engineers, and high concentration of smart and connected test beds and pilot deployments, Michigan is well-positioned to soar as a leader of automotive innovation.”

The full strategy to grow a Global Center of Mobility can be found at: http://www.businessleadersformichigan.com/research-and-reports/new-michigan-global-center-of-mobility.html.  BLM will report annually on progress being made to implement this and the other five strategies identified to make Michigan a Top Ten state.

--

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the story of how the people of Grand Rapids changed the way the world sees their community and the way they see the world by creating a cluster of prosperity, turning the city into an art gallery, and welcoming zombies who wanted to roam the streets one night a year.

Last Chance Mile is available wherever books are sold online, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes, and in brick-and-mortar stores like Barnes & Noble-Woodland Mall, Schuler Books & Music-28th Street and West Coast Coffee on Monroe Center, Grand Rapids.

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

U.S. Manufacturing Looks Strong for 2014

Economic growth in the United States will continue in 2014, say the nation's purchasing and supply management executives in their December 2013 Semiannual Economic Forecast. 

Expectations are for a continuation of the economic recovery that began in mid-2009, as indicated in the monthly ISM Report On Business ^®. The manufacturing sector is optimistic about growth in 2014, with revenues expected to increase in 16 manufacturing industries.

These projections are part of the forecast issued by the Business Survey Committee of the Institute for Supply Management™ (ISM). The forecast was released today by Bradley J. Holcomb, CPSM, CPSD, chair of the ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee; and by Anthony S. Nieves, CPSM, C.P.M., CFPM, chair of the ISM Non-Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.  

Manufacturing Summary

Expectations for 2014 are positive as 69 percent of survey respondents expect revenues to be greater in 2014 than in 2013. The panel of purchasing and supply executives expects a 4.4 percent net increase in overall revenues for 2014, compared to a 4.6 percent increase reported for 2013 over 2012 revenues. The 16 manufacturing industries expecting revenue improvement over 2014 — listed in order — are: Textile Mills; Plastics & Rubber Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Furniture & Related Products; Wood Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Primary Metals; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Chemical Products; Transportation Equipment; Paper Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; and Fabricated Metal Products.

"Manufacturing purchasing and supply executives expect to see continued growth in 2014. They are optimistic about their overall business prospects for the first half of 2014, and are even more optimistic about the second half of 2014," said Holcomb. "Manufacturing experienced six consecutive months of growth from June through November 2013, while experiencing only one month of contraction during the entire first 11 months of 2013, which occurred in May 2013 when the PMI^™ registered 49 percent (as measured by and reported in the monthly Manufacturing ISM Report On Business ^®). Our forecast calls for a continuation of growth in 2014, building on the momentum from the second half of 2013. Respondents expect raw materials pricing pressures in 2014 to be low, similar to levels experienced in 2013, and expect their margins will improve."

In the manufacturing sector, respondents report operating at 80.3 percent of their normal capacity, up very slightly from 80.2 percent reported in April 2013. Purchasing and supply executives predict that capital expenditures will increase by 8 percent in 2014 over 2013, compared to a 12.3 percent increase reported for 2013 over 2012. Survey respondents also forecast that they will increase inventories by 0.9 percent to support their planned level of sales in 2014. 

Manufacturers have an expectation that employment in the sector will increase by 2.4 percent in 2014, while labor and benefit costs are expected to increase an average of 2.3 percent. Manufacturing purchasers are predicting growth in exports and imports in 2014. Respondents also expect the U.S. dollar to strengthen on average against the currencies of major trading partners.

The panel also predicts the prices they pay for raw materials will increase 1.2 percent during the first four months of 2014, and will increase an additional 0.4 percent during the balance of the year, with an overall increase of 1.6 percent for 2014. This compares to a reported 0.9 percent increase in raw materials prices for 2013 compared with 2012.

Survey respondents report that the most challenging problems facing their businesses as they plan for 2013 are: domestic sales growth (32 percent); international sales growth (18 percent); healthcare reform uncertainty (14.6 percent); ongoing government shutdown and debt ceiling concerns (13.5 percent); government regulations (9.6 percent); healthcare costs (8.4 percent); inflation (3.4 percent); and taxes (0.6 percent).

The panel also indicated that supply chain management practices will be improved in 2014 using the following strategies, listed in order: strategic sourcing/supply base rationalization; process and information systems improvements; supplier relationship management; inventory management and control; and improved cross-functional planning and scheduling.

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