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Coronavirus will boost electrification shift, VW and Bentley execs say

Coronavirus will boost electrification shift, VW and Bentley execs sayAndrew Roberts, UnsplashLondon — Government incentives and auto maker investment decisions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic will accelerate the move to electrification, Volkswagen Group executives said."Certainly you're going to see a faster transformation to electric mobility," Christian Dahlheim, VW Group's head of sales, told an online summit hosted by the United Kingdom auto association, the SMMT.The move will be driven partly by the public's desire to see the continuation of cleaner air experienced during the lockdown as life returns to normality, Dahlheim said.Increased government incentives "will push us in that direction," he said.Adrian Hallmark, who heads VW Group's Bentley ultraluxury brand, said the pandemic could be a "natural accelerator" for electric investment as auto makers are forced to make tough spending decisions to repair damaged finances."If you have to prioritize and the future is uncertain, where do you place your bets? More (internal combustion engine) horsepower or more cell technology? We have done the latter," Hallmark told the conference.Bentley has said it will launch a full-electric car by 2026 and offer a hybrid version of all its models by 2023. However, Hallmark told Automotive News Europe in an interview earlier this month that the immediate effect of the coronavirus was to temporarily freeze the company's investments in future projects such as the electric car."The short-term shock doesn't help because we did plan to generate more cash to be able to preinvest in the next generation (models)," he said. "But it didn't change the strategic direction."Sales of plug-in hybrid cars in Europe were already on the rise in 2020 as auto makers introduced more versions to help meet tougher CO2 reduction targets imposed by the EU.Sales of full-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids doubled to 167,132 cars in the first three months compared to the same period last year, according to industry association ACEA.Recent government incentive packages in France and Germany to boost demand for autos are heavily weighted toward promoting sales of plug-in hybrids.Dahlheim said sales of full-electric cars will be dampened by the slow rollout of charging facilities."Half of our consumers are willing to drive electric, but the biggest hurdle is infrastructure," he said.The VW Group plans to invest nearly $34 billion across its 12 brands by 2024 in a push to become the world's largest electric car maker. VW brand alone has said it will invest more than $12 billion as it aims to produce 1.5 million electric cars a year in 2025.The VW brand will begin European deliveries of the battery-powered ID3 compact hatchback in September, the first car on the auto makers' MEB electric platform. The ID3 is a key launch for VW because it's the first of a new generation of affordable, long-range electric cars.source : https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/coronavirus-will-boost-electrification-shift-vw-and-bentley-execs-say

Editor 2020-07-05

CPRJ Automotive Conference participants visit the factory of Beijing Hyundai

-CPRJ Automotive Conference participants visit the factory of Beijing HyundaiThe 9th Edition CPRJ Plastics in Automotive Conference & Showcase was successfully held yesterday (September 5) in Beijing, China.Today, the organizers arranged a site visit to the second factory of Beijing Hyundai.Established in 2002, Beijing Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd. is a 50-50 joint venture between BAIC Motor and Hyundai Motor. The registered capital of the company is US$2.036 billion and the joint venture’s term is 30 years.Located in Shunyi district of Beijing city, the manufacturing base features 3 complete vehicle production factories and 3 engine production factories.In 2016, Beijing Hyundai established its factories in Hebei Cangzhou and Chongqing respectively, supported by the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Coordinated Development Plan and the Yangtze River Economic Belt Development Plan. They have a combined annual production capacity of 1.65 million vehicles.Today, participants visited the body shop and assembly shop of Beijing Hyundai’s second factory. With an investment of US$1.05 billion, the factory covers an area of 1.15 million square meters.The factory was officially put into operation in April 2008 and its annual production capacity is about 300,000 vehicles. The production models include the 9th generation of Sonata, all new Tucson, Elantra and others.Before visiting the workshops, participants watched a video about the Korean culture and the processing technologies of Beijing Hyundai.The cars displayed at the exhibition hall of Beijing Hyundai.(Due to the non-disclosure agreement, the details of the visit is not allowed to be revealed.)Source：CPRJ Editorial Team link : https://www.adsalecprj.com/en/news_show-62463.html

Editor 2020-04-01

Sponsorship Singing of LS for the First Division of Professional Football League in Vietnam!

editor 2020-03-01

Women comprise a third of the technology team on Ford's Mach-E

Women comprise a third of the technology team on Ford's Mach-EFord Motor Co.Some members of the team that helped develop the new Ford Co-Pilot360 technology on the Mach-E.DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. instituted a new product development process for the Mustang Mach-E prioritizing speed and collaboration among engineers and designers.One of the teams behind the car also is unique for its gender diversity.Of the roughly 75 employees who worked on the electric crossover's advanced driver-assist technology — including a new hands-free system — about one-third were women, a rarity in the male- dominated field. Ford says about 25 percent of its employees worldwide are women, but that figure is considerably lower when it comes to engineering.The confluence of female minds that helped shape the Mach-E wasn't intentional, the workers say, but reflects Ford's efforts to become more inclusive as it attempts to hire more tech-minded talent.Annette Liyana manages the user experience for Ford’s active drive-assist system"We're an incredibly well- represented group," Annette Liyana, 37, who manages the overall user experience for Ford's active drive-assist system, told Automotive News. "It's an exciting time to be at Ford. I know the team really stretched and reached some limits none of us thought we'd be approaching."Alexandra Taylor, the 27-year-old application manager for the yet-unnamed hands-free system, started at Ford about five years ago after graduating from college. She said this is the largest number of women she's worked with."Even five years ago, I felt like the only woman in the room," she said. "Here, I don't even think about it. We've got a healthy mix throughout." Liyana, Taylor and others helped develop the new Ford Co-Pilot360 technology on the Mach- E. While some features have been integrated into other vehicles, the Mach-E arriving next year will be the first Ford to allow drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel for extended periods of time, similar to Cadillac's Super Cruise system or Tesla's Autopilot.“Even five years ago, I felt like the only woman in the room. Here, I don’t even think about it. We’ve got a healthy mix throughout.”The system, available on the Premium and GT trims, will use lasers and cameras in the wheel to monitor a driver's alertness.Developers had less time than usual to finalize designs. The team had been working on a front-wheel-drive compliance crossover for years before Jim Hackett took over as CEO and ordered an overhaul of the project, which evolved into a rear-wheel-drive member of the Mustang family."We came at it from a very agile development mindset," Taylor said. "One day I might be in a meeting ironing out intended feature behavior. Later in the week, I might be on the test track."Tracie Conn, a sensor engineer who previously worked at NASA, said customers ultimately get better vehicles if a diverse team has a say in its creation."If we're facing a challenge and all get together, having those diverse backgrounds, experiences and points of view makes for such a stronger product in the end," said Conn, 36. "It makes a big difference having many different voices in the room."Ford has been working to add more voices.The automaker has long encouraged and supported women to pursue careers in STEAM fields (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) through programs such as FIRST Robotics, Girls Who Code and Ford Girl's Fast Track Races."We are not where we need to be as it relates to women taking the lead," Kim Pittel, who retired last month as Ford's vice president for sustainability, environment and safety engineering, told an audience earlier this year. "Women are underrepresented in our industry."At Ford, female leaders include Joy Falotico, who was CEO of Ford Credit before becoming chief marketing officer and head of the Lincoln luxury brand last year; Elena Ford, a great- great-granddaughter of Henry Ford who serves as chief customer experience officer; and Kiersten Robinson, chief human resources officer.Marcy Klevorn, who rose from the automaker's telecom team to become its top-ranking woman as president of mobility, retired in the fall."It's important that companies have visible role models for young women to see that it's something they can do," Klevorn, who was on Automotive News' list of 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry in 2010 and 2015, said in 2015.Taylor, Conn and Liyana all said they've had numerous female mentors at Ford, ranging from their fellow engineers to managers and executives.All three expect the number of female workers at Ford to continue growing and for teams like theirs to become the norm.Conn said she would encourage women in college to consider the automotive industry as a career."Despite what preconceptions there might be, in my experience it's nothing but positive," Conn said. "It's a respectful and inclusive environment. We want you to join us."source : https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/women-comprise-third-technology-team-fords-mach-e

editor 2019-12-28

Continental projects five-year downturn of global auto market

Continental projects five-year downturn of global auto marketAuto supplier Continental AG reported a slight drop in profitability at its rubber group, which covers plastic and rubber parts along with tires, for the third quarter, while also issuing a downbeat forecast for future growth prospects in the automotive industry.Hanover, Germany-based Continental's financial update was accompanied by news that its executive board has decided to fully spin off its powertrain business Vitesco Technologies with subsequent listing. Due in part to market uncertainty, the company no longer will pursue a potential partial IPO of its powertrain operations, which it originally had considered.Third quarter sales in the rubber unit, comprising Continental's tires and ContiTech businesses, were about $5.1 billion compared to $4.7 billion in the same period a year ago. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes margin for the group was about 12.3 percent, compared to the prior-year 12.5 percent, the company's preliminary figures issued Oct. 22 show.For the Continental group as a whole, consolidated sales in the third quarter came in at about $12.4 billion and the adjus"Considering the unresolved trade disputes, the unclear situation regarding Brexit, and declining markets, we did reasonably well in the third quarter from an operational standpoint," Continental's Chief Financial Officer Wolfgang Schaefer, Continental's chief fiscal officer, said in a statement.▲SchaeferBut, while Schaefer confirmed Continental's annual outlook for sales and earnings, he issued a stark assessment of the group's main market going forward."We do not anticipate that global production of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles will experience any material improvement in the next five years, so we have revised our assumptions for the medium-term market development accordingly," he said.The assumptions made and adapted as part of the annual planning process led to non-cash impairments of goodwill and other intangible assets totaling about $2.8 billion.The impairments, which Continental "recognized" in the third quarter, are mainly linked to the revision of market expectations, Schaefer pointed out.SOURCE : https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/continental-projects-five-year-downturn-global-auto-market

editor 2019-10-26

Wittmann Battenfeld taps OMV for new sales director

Wittmann Battenfeld taps OMV for new sales directorWittmann Battenfeld Valentina FalociAustrian injection molding machinery supplier Wittmann Battenfeld has appointed Valentina Faloci as its sales director, effective Aug. 5.Prior to joining the Kottingbrunn-based machinery maker, Faloci served as an international key account manager for airline sales at Austrian energy company OMV, according to her LinkedIn profile.Before that, she worked for German information technology company Alten GmbH for over 8 years as senior manager and business development director, Austria.Faloci succeeds Siegfried Köhler, who was responsible for this task for the last five years and who recently joined rival company Sumitomo (SHI) Demag as group chief sales officer.source :https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/wittmann-battenfeld-taps-omv-new-sales-director

editor 2019-09-22

South Korean auto supplier Donghee facing OSHA penalties in Alabama

Occupational Safety and Health AdministrationAutomotive parts supplier Donghee Alabama LLC faces proposed penalties from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for exposing employees to safety hazards at its facility in Auburn, Ala.Staffing agencies J & C Enterprise LLC and Jian Enterprise LLC have also been cited by OSHA. The companies collectively face $145,438 in penalties, according to a June 18 news release.OSHA cited Donghee Alabama and the staffing agencies for exposing employees to caught-in and crushed-by hazards by requiring them to operate machines with nonfunctioning safety laser scanners, which are designed to prevent workers from entering danger zones during operating cycles.The staffing agencies were also cited for exposing workers to hazards from operating machines with nonfunctioning light curtains."Hazards associated with the auto parts manufacturing industry are a source of serious injuries and fatalities to workers," Jose Gonzalez, OSHA's acting area director, said in a statement. "Employers are required by law to comply with lockout/tagout and machine guarding standards to protect workers who operate equipment."OSHA said the companies have 15 days from receiving the citations to contest the findings.Donghee Alabama is a U.S. subsidiary of parent company Donghee Industrial Co. Ltd. in South Korea. The company manufactures plastic fuel tanks, pedal and suspension modules and various electromagnetic parts.source : https://www.plasticsnews.com

editor 2019-07-06

Escalating tariffs signal caution for China investments

Escalating tariffs signal caution for China investmentsGuangzhou, China — The escalating trade conflict between the United States and China was prompting some plastics investors to hit the pause button at the massive Chinaplas trade fair this week — with Chinese compounder Top Polymer Enterprise among them.The uncertainty around tariffs was causing the Liyang, China-based firm to delay a $15 million investment in its first factory in the United States, near Atlanta, as both its supply chains and profits were taking a hit from rising tariffs."Right now, the environment is difficult for everyone, although at the moment it's the worst case scenario," President Marcus Tsong said in an interview at the company's booth at Chinaplas, which ran May 21-24 in Guangzhou and drew an estimated 180,000 attendees.Tsong said his company remains firmly committed to moving ahead on its U.S. investment and hopes to complete it in early 2020. Original plans called for the factory to open this month.But the back and forth over relations between the two countries has slowed the company's planning. Tsong's caution echoed others at the fair, which with 3,500 exhibiting firms ranks as one of the world's two largest plastics shows.U.S. extrusion equipment maker Davis-Standard LLC, for example, noted that tariffs are causing its customers in China to put their orders for machines from the company's U.S. factories on hold.Steve Toloken Sekaran Murugaiah, vice president of business development Asia Pacific for Davis-Standard LLC.He said U.S.-built Davis-Standard machines being exported to China will face much higher tariffs starting June 1, because they're in a block of goods targeted in Beijing's response to President Donald Trump's recent decision to raise tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion in Chinese exports.For Davis-Standard, China tariffs on those U.S. machines will rise from 5 percent to 25 percent."We have got customers [in China] now putting their investment plans for machinery from the U.S. on hold," he said. "We've already had that happen. They've not canceled orders. There's a wait and see thing."One Chinese executive said the escalating tariffs in the last few weeks — a reversal of the sense that a deal between the governments was at hand — seemed to stop what had been a recovery in plastics machinery markets in China in March and April.Richard Yan, CEO of publicly traded Chinese injection machine maker Yizumi Precision Machinery Co. Ltd., said plastics industry customers had ramped up purchasing in April in anticipation of a deal between Washington and Beijing."Now the situation has changed and customers are hesitating. It's a matter of confidence," Yan said. "People are now back to waiting and seeing."Challenging conditions2018 had been a more challenging year in China's industry. For example, the country's largest plastics machinery maker, Haitian International Holdings Ltd., told its shareholders in the Hong Kong stock exchange that the "U.S.-initiated" trade fight "has weakened investors' confidence."Chinaplas organizer Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd. noted that China's output of plastic products increased by only 1.1 percent in 2018, influenced by a volatile market and tougher environmental policies on industry.Chinese equipment maker Cosmos Machinery Enterprises Ltd. said it too has felt the impact of trade tensions.Business slowed in the second half of 2018, and the last few weeks of tariffs and counter tariffs trade issues further hurt sentiment, said Stephen Wong, executive vice chairman of the Hong Kong-based firm."In the machinery field, it's not the actual impact on us but the uncertainty that will make people nervous about future investment," he said.Chinaplas 2019Dow Inc. was among the international companies at Chinaplas 2019.Escalating tariffsLike Davis-Standard, compounder Top Polymer faces escalating tariffs.The maker of thermoplastic copolyesters and styrenic block compounds will now face 25 percent tariffs on some of its shipments from China to the United States, up from 10 percent.To keep its market volumes up ahead of building its new factory in Georgia, the company is shipping materials from China, paying the higher tariffs and seeing its margins take a big hit."We have to have some volume ready before the plant is ready," Tsong said. "We have to tolerate a loss."But he argued that the tariffs are also hurting U.S. plastics makers.Tsong said that's because Top Polymer has been importing significant supplies of raw materials from U.S. plastics firms, including Kraton Corp. and Dow Inc., to make its materials.But with those U.S. products now facing tariffs in China, his company is no longer buying from the U.S. directly and is looking domestically and elsewhere for new suppliers.In spite of the difficulties, though, he said his small company, which employs about 150 in two factories in China, remains committed to its U.S. investment. It sees a strong business case for the U.S. factory, in part to be closer to decision makers in multinational firms, he said.Other material suppliers at the show were also having to managing tariffs and hoping they would endSteve TolokenMartin Pavlik, director of business development, for SI Group, based in Schenectady, N.Y.But for some specialty products going between the two countries, it's not possible to shift production and the company risks losing business, Martin Pavlik, director of business development, said."What you lose is competitiveness in price because there are local producers in Asia or producers in Europe that are not affected," he said. "Although we have a lot of products that are benchmarks in the industry, it's all about the cost."We don't see right now an erosion of sales because we are putting a lot of different efforts in place but how long we will be able to hold, is a question of time," he added in an interview at the company's booth.A regional executive in Dow Inc.'s packaging and specialty plastics business said the company has been able in general to manage the tariff impacts in his unit by shifting sourcing around among its global production base.Bambang Candra, Dow's Singapore-based commercial vice president of packaging and specialty plastics for Asia Pacific, said it is still seeing healthy 10-20 percent annual demand growth for their plastics in packaging products in China."When you're talking about packaging, we believe the fundamental demand is still there," Candra said.The U.S. plastics materials industry has argued strongly against tariffs by either country, with its lobbying organizations like the American Chemistry Council saying they harm U.S. exports to China, now the world's largest plastics market.ACC said in early May that the tariffs are starting to damage the industry's supply chain and hurt the competitiveness of the U.S. petrochemical industry.But companies in other parts of the U.S. plastics industry have welcomed tariffs on items such as plastic packaging and vinyl flooring, saying that they face unfair competition from China. Tariff advocates say China's industrial policies advantage its industry, and they say tariffs will mean more jobs in their U.S. factories.While the mood at the trade show was generally against tariffs and trade conflicts, the mood within the larger U.S. industry is more split.That may be in part because the United States runs an annual deficit of about $11.5 billion with China's plastics industry, with deficits in plastic products, machinery and molds. Only the resin sector has a surplus with China, reaching $2.7 billion in 2017.source : www.plasticsnews.com

Editor 2019-06-02