Last month, Mazda and Toyota selected Huntsville, AL, as the site of a new joint-venture assembly plant. The factory will have the capacity to build 300,000 vehicles annually, with production split evenly between the two companies. Mazda intends to use the facility to produce a new crossover model for the North American market, while Toyota will use the factory to make Corollas.
By now, many of you have begun fiddling with some new electronic gadget that Santa left under the tree. How’s it going? Is it everything you expected, or are you overwhelmed?
All right, Christmas shoppers, be honest. Let’s say your spouse wants a new digital camera. You visit your local camera shop to seek advice from a knowledgeable clerk.
In July, Foxconn Technology Group pledged to invest $10 billion to build an assembly plant in southeastern Wisconsin to make liquid crystal displays for computer screens, televisions and dashboards.
In August, workers at Nissan Motor Co.’s assembly plant in Canton, MS, voted nearly two to one against representation by the United Auto Workers (UAW).
In April, President Donald Trump made good on a campaign promise and ordered the Commerce Department to conduct a “Section 232” review of steel imports. A provision of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, Section 232 authorizes the gov-ernment to take action to limit imports of products if they threaten national security.
During a recent road trip, I encountered two bridges under repair. Both bridges had only one lane open, necessitating a way to alternate the flow of traffic. At the first bridge, that task was handled by two flagmen, one on each end. At the second, traffic was controlled by a pair of portable, automatic gates.