Automakers are increasingly using hydroformed metal tubing in vehicular structures. Compared with stamped and welded metal parts, hydroformed parts weigh less, cost less, and have a higher stiffness-to-weight ratio.

"The Music Man” takes place in a Midwestern hamlet called River City. The town that it’s based on is Mason City, IA, and the river that flows through it is the Winnebago. If you follow that river a few miles west, you’ll end up in Forest City, which is home to another American classic: Winnebago motor homes.

A love for farming and serving farmers are what drove husband and wife Loren and Jean Van Wyk to found LDJ Manu-facturing in Pella, IA, in 1995.

Product traceability is essential for every automotive supplier, regardless of its specialty. International supplier Continental Automotive Group, for example, requires traceability of all of its products, including parts for brake systems, power trains, chassis, tires and vehicle electronics.

WASHINGTON—An executive from G.S. Electech Inc., a supplier to Toyota Motor Corp., has pleaded guilty to playing a role in an international conspiracy to rig bids and fix prices on auto parts, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

FORT WAYNE, IN—An auto parts shortage has caused the cancellation of several shifts at GM’s truck assembly plant here.

TUSCALOOSA, AL—A judge has ruled that the Mercedes-Benz assembly plant here violated labor laws while dealing with employees interested in forming a labor union.

WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP, MI—Automotive supplier Challenge Manufacturing Co. plans to spend $65.5 million to build a 430,000-square-foot assembly plant here, creating 420 jobs.

FREMONT, CA—Tesla Motors Inc. has halted production at its assembly plant here for the first time as it adds robots to accelerate production of electric sedans and prepares to build its Model X sport-utility vehicle. The $100 million upgrade will add 25 robots with a goal of boosting production by 25 percent.

EVANSVILLE, IN—Systems integrator Evana Automation Specialists has shipped a 24-station assembly and test system to a Tier 1 automotive supplier of driveline and drivetrain systems.