VALENCIA, Venezuela—General Motors could be making an effort to return to Venezuela after announcing it was shuttering operations following a court-ordered seizure of its assembly plant here. The factory was confiscated last week, along with GM’s bank accounts and other assets, as anti-government protesters clashed with security forces and pro-government groups—a surprise decision that drew the U.S. into the country’s increasing political turmoil.
DETROIT—Automotive supplier Flex-N-Gate has begun construction of a new $95 million assembly plant here. The 350,000-square-foot facility is expected to open about a year from now.
DEARBORN, MI—Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg stopped by Ford Motor Co.’s River Rouge assembly plant here last week as part of initiative to discover how people are living, working and thinking about the future.
GREENFIELD, IN—BeijingWest Industries Co. Ltd., which manufactures automotive brake and suspension systems, will locate its first U.S. assembly plant here, creating up to 441 new jobs by 2021. The company will invest more than $80 million to build and equip the facility.
ALGONAC, MI—Autocraft will supply American Honda Motor Co. with autonomous guided carts for material delivery at the automaker’s assembly plant in Marysville, OH.
MORGANTON, NC—Continental is investing more than $40 million to expand its brake systems assembly plant here. The expansion is set to be completed in early 2018.
FREMONT, CA--To meet its self-imposed Septembes deadline for the production of its Model 3 sedan, Tesla is planning to bypass prototyping and bring the vehicle directly to final production. Industry experts caution, however, that the approach poses assembly line risks and will cost millions in production equipment if it fails.
LITTLE FALLS, MN---Indiana-based Wabash National, which makes high-test, lightweight truck trailers, recently acquired the just-shuttered Larson Boat plant here and plans to invest $11 million to renovate and equip the facility. The company hopes to employ 70 people by 2019 and 100 or more within five years.
ANDERSON, IN—Automotive supplier NTK Precision Axle Corp. plans to expand its operations in Indiana by establishing a new axle assembly plant here. The company plans to create nearly 200 jobs over the next five years.