THREE RIVERS COMMERCIAL-NEWS: American Axle has gift for city, schools
Three Rivers, MI,
Oct 9, 2012 -
By Rick Cordes -
An upturn in the auto industry economy and the success of American Axle and Manufacturing to stay at the forefront of the automotive supply sector has enabled the Three Rivers American Axle plant to make a sizeable donation to the City of Three Rivers and the Three Rivers Community Schools.
In a ceremony this morning, AAM officials, represented by Bill Smith, executive director of governmental affairs and community relations, will present Three Rivers Mayor Tom Lowry with a check for $400,000. Also expected to be in attendance will be State Rep. Matt Lori, State Sen. Bruce Caswell, and U.S. Rep. Fred Upton.
AAM's contribution will go toward purchases of vehicles by the Three Rivers Police Department and the Three Rivers Fire Department and well as toward upgrades for the Three Rivers Community Schools, according to David Tworek, AAM manager of communications.
Tworek said that significant growth in production has occurred in the past several years at the Three Rivers plant, with anticipation that growth will continue there in the short and long term. That has meant that new manufacturing jobs have been added and will continue to be added in Three Rivers.
"Currently we have approximately 900 associates, with just over 100 salaried employees and the rest are hourly," Tworek said. "Since January 2012 we have hired more than 350 new people.
"Based on customer projections we will be hiring another 250 to 400 more employees in the next 18 months to two years."
A "market competitive cost structure" gives the Three Rivers AAM plant an edge, "and because of the we've been able to bring in new programs," Tworek said.
AAM's Three Rivers plant is the largest AAM plant in Michigan and also in the United States, Tworek said. Worldwide, including plants in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, only a plant ns Mexico clearly exceeds the Three Rivers plant in size (and a factory in Brazil is as large and possibly larger), Tworek notes.
Products manufactured at the AAM Three Rivers include vehicle axles and an assortment of driveline systems.
http://www.threeriversnews.com/articles/2012/10/09/news/local_news/doc507358b24df37256030643.txt
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