ACP October 2010 - Anna
October 20, 2010(All presentations are available to members by clicking here).
Honda's Anna Engine Plant welcomed ACP members and guests to their large forging, casting, and engine manufacturing facility in Anna, Ohio.
Kim Hill opened the day's discussion with a visual depiction of the assembly, components, and supplier manufacturing facilities that are prolific in the ACP region. Caroline Ramsey and Ed Miller, both of Honda, then officially welcomed the group to the facility, and described Honda's history of manufacturing in the United States. Plant Manager John Spoltman followed with a description of the engine plant, highlighting its vertical integration.
Bernard Swiecki gave a sales update, explaining that September's seasonally adjusted annual rate is the highest it has been in months, and with fewer companies sharing this number, it means that companies are more profitable than they have been in the past. He also gave a product update, drawing attention to the Chrysler facility in Sterling Heights, and the ability of that community, together with the State of Michigan, to reverse a decision to close the plant. ACP communities can learn from this example that today, facility closure decisions are more flexible than they used to be.
Richard Wallace of CAR then spoke of the synergies between connected vehicles and electrification of the powertrain. These synergies, such as transportation energy planning and mapping, provide an opportunity for communities to collaborate with utility companies and develop testing facilities for technology research companies to use.
Along those lines, Mr. Hill explained the importance of the region to automotive research and development, underscored by the fact that nearly 90% of spending in this area comes from the ACP region.
As we continue to look at ways to enhance the ACP program, we look to partner with other organizations. As an example of this partnership and as conclusion to the discussions, Larry Molnar of U-M's Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy (IRLEE) introduced a proposed initiative, the Economic Transformation Partnership (ETP). The proposed ETP would be a partnership between IRLEE, CAR-ACP, Cleveland State University, Ohio University, the University of Akron, and Purdue University, and would focus on helping communities look forward to new economic opportunities.
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