Subaru factory in Indiana rolls out 3 millionth vehicle
Workers at a Subaru plant in central Indiana cheered as its 3 millionth vehicle reached the end of the production line.
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Renewable-energy firm eyeing Tipton County plant
A renewable-energy firm is considering manufacturing solar panels in an empty Tipton County plant where transmissions were
to be built for Chrysler automobiles, according to the Kokomo Tribune.
GM to add shifts at 3 sites, including Indiana
General Motors Co. will go to 24-hour operations at factories in Kansas, Michigan and Indiana to make up for production lost
due to a large-scale factory consolidation announced earlier in the year.
Honda starts exporting cars from Greensburg
The Honda plant in southern Indiana that started production last year is now building cars for export from the United States.
Fort Wayne worried Navistar may move truck center
Fort Wayne officials are concerned they won’t be able to persuade Navistar against moving its truck design center to suburban
Chicago.
Lithium-ion battery maker names new president
EnerDel, an Indianapolis-based producer of automotive lithium-ion batteries, has named a new president, the company announced
today.
Auto supplier set to accelerate with seat-control software
A company founded by a Westfield chiropractor is in talks to license to automakers software that’s designed to produce
a less-fatiguing ride. Comfort Motion Technologies also wants to make aftermarket versions of the software as add-on modules
that could be used in most any car with a power seat.
Region’s expertise in hybrid cars goes beyond high-profile players
Bright Automotive and EnerDel are well known for their development of components for hybrid cars, but the region has several
other players poised to be big players in the sector. In fact, few realize that North America’s largest producer
of electric motors for hybrid vehicles is based northeast of Indianapolis, in Pendleton.
Cummins moving some operations to Mexico
A filtration division of Columbus-based Cummins Inc. will move a large portion of its North American assembly operations to
a plant in Mexico to keep the business competitive, the company said today.
EnerDel lands $118 million stimulus grant
EnerDel, an Indianapolis-based producer of automotive lithium-ion batteries, will receive $118.5 million in a matching grant
from the federal government.
125 workers at Indianapolis GM plant take buyout offer
More than 125 people at General Motors Corp.’s metal-stamping plant in Indianapolis have signed up for buyouts or early-retirement
packages that are worth as much as $115,000 in cash per worker, a union official said this morning.
Automotive industry’s fall dilutes manufacturing jobs
The fact that Indiana is shedding manufacturing jobs is well-known, but you can thank a neighbor to the north for keeping track of every last one. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported recently that Wisconsin had taken the top spot, ahead of Indiana, in terms of the portion of employment in manufacturing—15.6 percent, versus Hoosiers’ 15.4 percent.
LIPPERT: GM woes strike close to home
As someone who grew up in Michigan during the 1960s and 1970s, watching General Motors Corp. self-destruct was like seeing a loved one make bad decisions then watching him suffer the consequences.
Natural-gas car proposal could boost Greensburg Honda plant
Hoping to spur alternative vehicles, lawmakers want to double the size of tax breaks on cars that run on natural gas. That
could be good news for Indiana, where Honda Motor Corp. produces the natural-gas-powered Civic GX in Greensburg.
Boomtown on hold: Recession delays Honda’s full impact on Greensburg
Jobs created by the new manufacturing plant have been offset by losses elsewhere in the community, and related development
remains scarce. But local officials remain optimistic about Honda’s long-term impact.
Chrysler challenge was right call for Mourdock
State Treasurer Richard Mourdock’s attempt to stand up for the rule of law in the Chrysler bankruptcy appears to have been
futile, but we applaud the treasurer for trying. Mourdock went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to preserve the rights
of secured creditors in bankruptcy cases.
Powerway finds its Waypoint
Back when the automakers were on a roll, Powerway Inc. looked so promising that a public offering seemed around the bend.
Now Powerway itself is gone—at least in name.
Prolonged woes reshape Connersville, city once known as ‘Little Detroit’
With economists predicting the statewide unemployment average will reach 10 percent this year, the experience of a hard-hit
city like Connersville offers a glimpse of what lies ahead for other manufacturing-reliant Hoosier communities.
Quality-control firm launches after key player folds
Entrepreneur Steven J. Cage has launched a new quality-control business after the one he built into an industry leader shuttered suddenly.
Indy Power drops electric-car focus for more lucrative control boxes
After a stint making parts for electric cars, Symphony Motors recently became Indy Power Systems, changing course to make power control boxes for a variety of vehicles and also industrial and military applications.