Dormant Indiana auto plant enjoys global-trade revival - NWAOnline
-- The steady comeback of the U. S. auto industry has brought new life to underused factories, as carmakers across the country add shifts of workers to meet demand for vehicles. Last week, officials of AM General -- the maker of Humvee military vehicles -- celebrated the production of a Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle in a sprawling factory that once built Hummer SUVs for General Motors. But the old Hummer plant has been resurrected and become an example of how a modest-sized, Rust Belt manufacturer can find its niche in a global automotive industry. AM General's hourly workers, who belong to the United Auto Workers union, are building the German luxury SUVs for a specific clientele: consumers in China. While a number of U. S. auto plants export their products around the world, the factory is believed to be the only one in the United States that ships its entire volume for sale in the Chinese market. "We are making German luxury vehicles in Indiana for export to China and doing it with workers at the oldest UAW local in the nation," said Howard Glaser, head of AM General's commercial division. The plant's revival is one piece of what has become a vibrant U. S. auto-manufacturing sector. Source: www.nwaonline.com
