I predict it will be a Chinese car manufacturer.
I still don't see why a European company would want to build vehicles in Missouri and then ship them to Europe. Labor and transportation have got to be cheaper elsewhere.
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If I'm not mistaken part of that has to do with the raw materials used to make the vehicles they want to build. Which does get me thinking, if what they need is rare earth metals for said vehicles, would this possibly tie into the plans to reopen the Pea Ridge Mine near Sullivan since it was discovered that is a rich source of such raw materials and one of the few that is not in China.framer wrote:I still don't see why a European company would want to build vehicles in Missouri and then ship them to Europe. Labor and transportation have got to be cheaper elsewhere.
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^ it sure will be interesting to see if anything big transpires with rare earth materials in southern MO.
USGS is flying helicopeters overhead with state-of-the-art thermal imagaging (or somesuch) that can tell where fruitful deposits may be. If it does move forward, hopefully it won't despoil the beautiful landscape and waters too much.
USGS is flying helicopeters overhead with state-of-the-art thermal imagaging (or somesuch) that can tell where fruitful deposits may be. If it does move forward, hopefully it won't despoil the beautiful landscape and waters too much.
Framer, I think it has a lot to do with the North American market, US, Canada and a growing Mexico versus a stagnant European market. In addition, US is becoming very competitive in pricing from labor to much cheaper energy costs as well as allowing an operation to setup with out having to take on an equity stake partner in China. Also, you rail ship to either East and West or even down to the Gulf to reach multiple foreign markets including Asia.
Here is the info on the buyer. Didn't realize the story broke until I saw Moorlander's comments on the Lambert Thread
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... s-its.html
A different thought, could this possibly revive an Asian Cargo hub? Thinking big.
On different thought, would have this been a better play for Tesla after they announced their big plans for a battery plant to support 500,000 unit auto production. Adding the transit van on top of an affordable sedan would have been an unique opportunity to expand their niche..
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... s-its.html
A different thought, could this possibly revive an Asian Cargo hub? Thinking big.
On different thought, would have this been a better play for Tesla after they announced their big plans for a battery plant to support 500,000 unit auto production. Adding the transit van on top of an affordable sedan would have been an unique opportunity to expand their niche..
Interesting, they're building hybrid delivery vans. Woah, just noticed this plan started up almost 3 years ago.
I have heard that the plant will also be building electric taxi cabs for both US and international cities.
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So now that they are sold to the Chinese are plans still on track in building this new plant in Hazelwood?
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^Yes.
Geely also owns Volvo and London Taxi Company. Just a dream ... but I would love it if the Cab Commission mandated that all new taxis put into service here be London Cab Company cabs.
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Geely also owns Volvo and London Taxi Company. Just a dream ... but I would love it if the Cab Commission mandated that all new taxis put into service here be London Cab Company cabs.
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I would love it if the Taxi Commission required that our cab system be as efficient, kind, and knowledgeable as the London system.
http://www.theknowledgetaxi.co.uk/
http://www.theknowledgetaxi.co.uk/
To become an All-London taxi driver or Green badge holder you need to master no fewer than 320 basic routes, all of the 25,000 streets that are scattered within the basic routes and approximately 20,000 landmarks and places of public interest that are located within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross. This is where The Blue book is required, a handbook for budding taxi drivers which contains all of these routes and landmarks.
It takes the average person between 2 and 4 years to learn the knowledge, a lot however depends on how much time and effort they are willing to dedicate in learning it
St. Louis and Missouri should be going HARD after this plant. The local area has the skilled workforce and transportation infrastructure. It would be a great shot in the arm for the regional economy. China-based Greely is obviously very familiar with St. Louis since they agreed to buy Emerald Automotive.
Volvo cars plans $500 million U.S. factory to revive sales
Excerpts
Volvo cars plans $500 million U.S. factory to revive sales
Excerpts
The Swedish carmaker, which was bought by Chinese billionaire Li Shufu's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. in 2010, is seeking to revive prospects in the U.S., where sales last year totaled about 56,000 vehicles, less than half the brand's peak in 2004. The plant will give Volvo a local presence, putting it on a similar footing as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and also help reduce risks related to currency fluctuations.
Last year, Geely agreed to financially back Emerald Automotive, a British startup that proposed building hybrid cargo vans in Hazelwood.
Here's another excerpt from an article published by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch last year.
Emerald Automotive sold to China's Geely Group
SALE PROVIDES FINANCING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PRODUCTION, COMPANY SAYS.
Emerald Automotive sold to China's Geely Group
SALE PROVIDES FINANCING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PRODUCTION, COMPANY SAYS.
Chinese automotive company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group has acquired Emerald Automotive, an electric vehicle startup that wants to manufacture commercial vans in Hazelwood.
Emerald Automotive said the sale will provide financing, which will allow it to move forward with plans for a van assembly line in the north St. Louis County suburb, although the company did not say when a plant will open.
After initially announcing plans to open a facility in Hazelwood in 2011, Emerald withdrew its application for a green-auto loan from the U.S. Department of Energy and pursued private financing instead.
Financial terms of the sale to Geely, which closed Friday, were not disclosed.
EMERALD AUTOMOTIVE PARTNERS WITH A GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE CAR COMPANY
HAZELWOOD, Missouri – Feb. 28, 2014) Hazelwood- and UK-based Emerald Automotive has been wholly acquired by the Chinese automotive giant Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Group).
The acquisition, announced today in London, is the culmination of twelve months’ work between the two companies in planning a series of light-weight, range-extended, electric urban vehicles, based on technology developed by Emerald Automotive.
Geely Group has declared its intention to invest a minimum of $200million over the next five years in development of the new vehicles, and will retain the existing Emerald Automotive management team to oversee the development of this new green technology. Furthermore, Geely Group will maintain Emerald’s existing loan relationships with both the Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) and Hazelwood City, a sign that the Group may develop North American manufacturing operations in the longer term.
Looks like an awesome opportunity. Hopefully our state is one they've been in discussions with.
Fenton sight would seem to be pretty perfect.
Fenton sight would seem to be pretty perfect.
Looks like Missouri out of the running. I doubt that Missouri is the second southern state referenced but not named. I think a big part of this decision is the export component. SC is in relatively favorable position as I believe Port of Charleston, Brunswick and Jacksonville have major auto import/export facilities
While the Right to Work debate will always rage on and slowly become irrelevant with the fact that it is a matter of time before states have it than not, I think it is split down the middle right now. I do think that something has to change for a slow growth region whose industrial base was decimated during the recession (I also lay blame that the fed's auto bail out saved Detroit on the backs of St. Louis) to some how some way find the means to reverse the trend of being looked over for any meaningful industrial development.
As far as Emerald motors, I don't think you will go very far when your business plan depends on a Chinese owned company with very little automotive history getting a contract with US Postal contract. Very different than Volvo.
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... ddca7.html
Volvo Cars said last month it was in advanced talks with several U.S. states. CEO Hakan Samuelsson told Reuters a North American plant was "the last piece in establishing our global footprint."
Samuelsson said the final choice for the plant's location would reflect availability and cost of skilled workers, and logistics, including the export of finished cars.
While the Right to Work debate will always rage on and slowly become irrelevant with the fact that it is a matter of time before states have it than not, I think it is split down the middle right now. I do think that something has to change for a slow growth region whose industrial base was decimated during the recession (I also lay blame that the fed's auto bail out saved Detroit on the backs of St. Louis) to some how some way find the means to reverse the trend of being looked over for any meaningful industrial development.
As far as Emerald motors, I don't think you will go very far when your business plan depends on a Chinese owned company with very little automotive history getting a contract with US Postal contract. Very different than Volvo.
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... ddca7.html
Volvo Cars said last month it was in advanced talks with several U.S. states. CEO Hakan Samuelsson told Reuters a North American plant was "the last piece in establishing our global footprint."
Samuelsson said the final choice for the plant's location would reflect availability and cost of skilled workers, and logistics, including the export of finished cars.
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^^ Is there really any way to deal with the port issue since that has popped up in other things like the 777X project. Or is it not being near an ocean there Is no way to counter it even if you built a large inland port.
As to the Right to Work issue, its more of a when not if it happens here. Its basically inevitable soon as there is a Republican in the Governor's Mansion.
As to the Right to Work issue, its more of a when not if it happens here. Its basically inevitable soon as there is a Republican in the Governor's Mansion.
^On that note—and I don't mean to digress too much—do we think it's a foregone conclusion that a Republican will win the Governor's race in Missouri?
I know we're an increasingly red state, but Nixon still won twice. He's so unpopular now that he wouldn't win another election, but that's of course not an option. So I'm not sure what to expect.
Is there any chance the state begins to shift a little more blue again with liberals perhaps being motivated to start voting more after the events of the past year? IF that happens but just in the KC & STL areas, then it won't impact the legislature much, but it would impact state-wide elections like the Governorship and amendments.
Sorry, I digressed much more than I intended.
I know we're an increasingly red state, but Nixon still won twice. He's so unpopular now that he wouldn't win another election, but that's of course not an option. So I'm not sure what to expect.
Is there any chance the state begins to shift a little more blue again with liberals perhaps being motivated to start voting more after the events of the past year? IF that happens but just in the KC & STL areas, then it won't impact the legislature much, but it would impact state-wide elections like the Governorship and amendments.
Sorry, I digressed much more than I intended.
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They're baaaaaack....
https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... or-st.htmlEmerald Automotive, the electric vehicle maker that's been inactive for years, appears closer to fulfilling a promise made roughly half a decade ago.
The company, according to multiple real estate brokers, is shopping the market for factory space. How much space or where wasn’t clear, though Emerald would figure to look mostly in Hazelwood, which in 2011 agreed to provide the company a $3 million loan to help it build a $175 million manufacturing plant. That hasn't happened.
^ So what is the odds,
I'm not putting it at any better then MO landing a new joint Mazda/Toyota plant which sounds more like a money grab from Mississippi residents when existing Toyota site/plant that is ready made for expansion. Just advertise you are going somewhere else and watch the tax subsidies roll in.
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... c01d7.html
I'm not putting it at any better then MO landing a new joint Mazda/Toyota plant which sounds more like a money grab from Mississippi residents when existing Toyota site/plant that is ready made for expansion. Just advertise you are going somewhere else and watch the tax subsidies roll in.
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... c01d7.html