Toyota Earnings of $10 Billion Solidify Hold on 2nd Place
Toyota Motor on Tuesday became the first Japanese company to report a net profit of more than a trillion yen, or about $10 billion, firmly establishing its position as the world’s No. 2 automaker ahead of Ford Motor.
Stanford Business School Study Finds Economic Incentives Do Inspire New Products – To a Point
With product life cycles becoming ever shorter, today’s key to market success is speed — continuously creating new items or ever more novel iterations of old ones. Nissan, for instance, has succeeded in a tough automotive market by focusing on frequently designing new models. Logitech has produced a string of ever-changing mice and keyboards in the computer industry. This emphasis on rapid change means that finding ways to motivate product development managers has become critical to business success.
Tower Automotive Union is Rejected
Workers at Tower Automotive in Madison, Miss., voted 162-18 against joining the United Steelworkers of America. Tower is a major supplier for Nissan’s new automotive plant in nearby Canton, Miss.
Retooling a Pool of Talent: Michigan Reaches Out from Brawn to Brains
Diego Rivera’s famous mural of Detroit’s industry depicts big, muscular men pulling on steel and manipulating heavy machines as they mold new cars. But if Rivera were here today, how would he see the city? Probably not muscling steel girders around. He’d see MBAs and computer geeks creating the modern automotive world in front of their computers.
DST Appoints New Chief Technology Officer
DST Inc., a technology provider to the parts and service supply chain, has named Alex Nubla as the company’s new Chief Technical Officer (CTO). Nubla has extensive experience as a consultant, leader and technical expert working for such companies as IBM Global Services, Nissan Motors and Bank of America. He also served as technical editor for four years for Midrange Computing magazine, the primary journal of record for midrange computing professionals.
Small is Satisfactory: Dura Builds a Niche
So it’s not as big as Delphi. It doesn’t employ as many as Lear. But Lawrence Denton, chief executive for Dura Automotive Systems Inc., says he’s satisfied with his company’s size. Dura, he says, is just better off being small.
New Ideas Should Help Old Favorite
After getting whacked by big upheavals in the automotive supply world, the wobbly SAE World Congress, Detroit’s biggest and most important trade show, seems to be finding its legs again.
Compuware Panning to Buy Covisint
Compuware Corp., the largest high-tech company based in Michigan, is expected to announce that it will purchase financially struggling Covisint LLC, according to documents on Compuware letterhead obtained by the Detroit Free Press. The acquisition, expected to be completed within 30 days for an undisclosed “small cash transaction,” ends the most expensive Internet start-up and flop ever launched in Michigan.
Ward’s Reports Estimated Production
Vehicle production last week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico was expected to hit an estimated 339,878 units, up 15 percent from the 295,481 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward’s Automotive Reports.
Delphi Achieves Record $3.2 Billion in Commercial Vehicle Business Bookings in ’03
Delphi achieved a record $3.2 billion in new commercial vehicle business bookings during 2003, according to company officials. Much of the new business is with Delphi’s engine management systems, along with audio, safety, climate control and electrical/electronic distribution systems, according to Maggart. While every major region saw a business increase during the year, a majority of the growth came from Asia-Pacific and Europe.