U.S. Automakers Gear Up for Maintenance as Market Wavers

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Despite the persistent problem of inflation, automotive demand among U.S. consumers is holding steady. But supply constraints are hurting the ability of auto dealers to meet that demand, which is sending the price of new cars only higher. With all the unpredictable economic factors, automakers are trying to keep their existing plants in the best possible shape, as some might not be able to build new plants in the foreseeable future. Industrial Info is tracking about 320 maintenance-related projects at automotive and automotive-related plants that are set to kick off before the end of the year.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing the top U.S. states for auto maintenance projects set to begin from September through December.

Kentucky leads all other states in the number and total investment value (TIV) of fourth-quarter maintenance projects. These include Mitsubishi Corporation's (Tokyo, Japan) semi-annual shutdown at its alternator and motor-control unit manufacturing plant in Maysville, Kentucky, and Accuride Corporation's (Livonia, Michigan) semi-annual shutdown at its steel truck wheel-manufacturing plant in Henderson, Kentucky. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Industrial Manufacturing Project Database can read detailed reports on the Maysville and Henderson projects.

Kentucky and its neighbor to the south, Tennessee, are among the states expected to benefit from the industry's embrace of electric vehicles (EV). Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) (Dearborn, Michigan) and SK Innovation Company Limited (Seoul, South Korea) plan to invest $11 billion in new manufacturing campuses over the coming years in these two states to develop EVs and related batteries. But Tennessee already has a significant number of maintenance projects planned through the end of the year.

JTEKT Corporation, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM) (Aichi, Japan), is responsible for at least two of the maintenance projects set to kick off in Tennessee: a steering and driveline components plant in Vonore, Tennessee, and a drivetrain couplings and bearings plant in Morristown, Tennessee. Both are expected to wrap up at the very end of the year. Subscribers can read detailed reports on the Vonore and Morristown projects.

Another state expected to see more new manufacturing plants is Illinois, where Governor J.B. Pritzker is prioritizing workforce training and other support for the industry, he recently told The Washington Post. Two auto-stamping facilities are expected to undergo one-to-two-week shutdowns toward the end of the year: Eagle Wing Industries Incorporated's (Rantoul, Illinois) stamping plant in Rantoul and Mercury Products Corporation's (Schaumburg, Illinois) stamping plant in Schaumburg. Subscribers can learn more from Industrial Info's reports on the Rantoul and Schaumburg projects.

"The old Rust Belt manufacturing is going to be around for quite a while, but that is not where the significant growth is going to be," Pritzker told The Post. "It's going to be in advanced manufacturing and high-skilled labor and robotics."

School is back in session, and at least two yellow bus manufacturers are preparing for maintenance toward the end of the year: Blue Bird Body Company (Macon, Georgia), which is performing a one-week maintenance shutdown at its school bus assembly plant in Fort Valley, Georgia, and IC Bus of Oklahoma LLC (Tulsa, Oklahoma), which is performing a one-week shutdown at its bus assembly plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Subscribers can read detailed reports on the Georgia and Oklahoma projects.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project Database can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.

Subscribers can click here for a full list of U.S. automotive maintenance projects set to begin in the fourth quarter.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).