CHATTANOOGA, TN—Volkswagen has begun a new work schedule at its assembly plant here, operating three shifts per day, six days a week.

Offshoring has, quite simply, gutted the American middle class. But it took more than the presence of several hundred million unemployed Chinese to make offshoring feasible. Some are technological, some are cultural.

BIRMINGHAM, UK—Jaguar Landrover is hiring 1,100 people in a massive expansion of its assembly plant here.

ANDERSON, IN—Greenville Technology Inc., one of Honda’s largest suppliers, will build a $21 million assembly plant here that will eventually employ 325.

LINCOLN, AL—Honda will hire 50 new workers this fall to increase production at its automotive assembly plant here.

WATER VALLEY, MS—Tier 1 automotive supplier BorgWarner is adding 50 jobs at its assembly plant here to produce a new line of transmissions.

CAMBRIDGE, ON—Toyota is planning to invest more than $100 million in assembly plant here to increase production of the Lexus RX. The automaker also plans to hire an additional 400 workers.