Archive for the ‘Automotive’ Category
More kids visiting plastics companies
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012
It's class field trip time, so since the Plastics Blog recently featured some items on pupils visiting plastics plants, I thought I'd share some more today, along with some cool photos of the trips. First up, from Bristol, Va., 60...
GM’s Dan Akerson on the problem of insular thinking
Monday, May 14th, 2012
Rhoda Miel, our Detroit-based staff reporter, recently sat in on a Q&A event with General Motors Co. Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. The video below includes one of the highlights -- it's Akerson talking about the problem of insular thinking....
Auto sector takes nylon 12 shortage seriously
Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
It's not surprising that the auto industry is taking the looming shortage of nylon 12 resin seriously. Remember, this industry has first-hand experience with what a fractured supply chain can do to OEMs and suppliers alike, following natural disasters in...
Automakers serious about composites
Thursday, April 12th, 2012
The auto industry is getting serious about using plastic composites to reduce weight and improve fuel economy. Every week, it seems, we're seeing stories about automakers and suppliers using or studying ways to use plastics and/or composites to make vehicles...
Ford Asia official to keynote PN’s China conference
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012
Attendees to the China Plastics in Automotive 2012 conference in Shanghai on April 17 will gain insights into Ford Motor Co.'s vision for creating greener, more lightweight and fuel-efficient vehicles globally when they hear from keynote speaker Jennifer Gilhool. She's...
We’re all excellent drummers when we drive
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
Here's a post for anyone who's ever drummed on their steering wheel and thought they sounded pretty good. The band OK Go (which has previously won Internet raves for videos involving multiple treadmills and a Rube Goldberg-inspired machine in one...
Fun – and dogs – at the Detroit Auto Show
Monday, January 9th, 2012
Rhoda Miel, our Detroit-based staff reporter, shared these fun snippets of news today from the 2012 North American International Auto Show: The Detroit show boasts that it hosts 5,000 members of the media for its press preview. And while that...
Flex-N-Gate’s Khan finally gets an NFL team
Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
Shahid Khan, the owner of auto supplier Flex-N-Gate Corp., is joining the fraternity of National Football League owners after all. You may recall that last year Khan was blocked from buying a majority stake in NFL's St. Louis Rams. But...
Designers make cool stuff from ‘old’ car parts
Tuesday, November 29th, 2011
Would the phrase "Make it work" be appropriate here? Lexus had four designers -- jewelry, shoes, eyewear and clothing -- create something from parts from its CT Hybrid. Final products included: "Nomadic Sanctuary"--A sleek trench coat, shorts and clutch designed...
More insight into the US vs. Canada issue
Monday, November 28th, 2011
Need more proof that Canadian manufacturers are feeling anxiety about the "buy American" trend? Then check out this column, "U.S. again insults its friendly neighbor," from Bill Mann of Marketwatch. Readers may recall that I was surprised last week by...