Auto

Hayashi Telempu of Japan, a manufacturer of automotive carpeting, will double capacity at its new plant in Ontario to meet demand in Canada. The C$10-million plant started up in late 2007 and currently supplies carpeting for 260,000 vehicles per year to Toyota Canada and Honda Canada. Due to the Japanese auto industry’s growth in North America, capacity will be doubled by 2011.

Anzen Motor Car Co. Ltd., a Tokyo-based company making lifts, test equipment, and other auto-related products, intends to set up a branch in Canada in July. The company has seven service centres in the US, but an office in Canada will help it maximize sales to Japanese automakers expanding in North America. Anzen is trying to make foreign sales a major part of its business.

As car sales in the US decline, Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors sees Canada as an important market and is taking steps to increase sales here. In July 2008 it will launch its new ‘Lancer Evolution’ vehicle in Canada. By April of 2009, it will open a new parts warehouse in Toronto and increase Canadian dealerships to 85 from the current 68. The company’s goal is to boost Canadian sales from 17,800 vehicles in fiscal 2007 to 24,000 in fiscal 2010.

The Motorcycle & Moped Industry Council of Canada, a trade association that represents motorcycle and scooter manufacturers and distributors, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce for Motorcycles. The organizations will work together to ensure that the manufacture of motorcycles and all terrain vehicles are safe, environmentally-friendly, energy efficient and comply with the national standards in both countries to serve the interests of the entire industry and consumers in China and Canada.

Honda Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Japan-based Honda, has appointed Manabu Nishimae as its President and CEO. Mr. Nishimae replaces Hiroshi Kobayashi who moves on to become the company’s deputy chief operating officer and manager of regional sales for Japan. Mr. Nishimae previously worked in Honda Canada’s Motorcycle Division and was recently working in Japan.

Chinese and Canadian government officials joined representatives from Ontario-based Wescast Industries Inc. to officially open Wescast Industries (China) Co. Ltd., Wescast’s integrated foundry and machining operation located in Wuhan, Hubei province. Wescast is currently manufacturing production parts for customers in Asia and is ramping up several new programs destined for markets around the globe. The facility currently employs approximately 200 employees, which is expected to grow to 600 once full production is achieved. Wescast Industries Inc.

Toronto-based Samco Machinery Ltd. has signed a deal to supply Tata Ryerson Ltd. six auto components for the Tata Nano vehicle. The deal, which covers equipment for the Nano’s chassis components, is worth approximately US$3 million. Samco Machinery is a manufacturer of custom rollforming systems. Tata Ryerson Ltd. is a Toronto-based joint venture between India’s Tata Steel and Ryerson Tull of the US.

Toyota Tsusho of Japan will establish a new company in Ontario, Green Metals Canada. By the middle of this year, a C$3.3 million plant will begin gathering and recycling scrap metal from auto plants. Toyota Tsusho already has 14 such plants around the world and expects to build more as environmental awareness grows and Toyota boosts manufacturing capacity worldwide.

Cosma International, an operating unit of Aurora, Ontario-based Magna International Inc., and its joint-venture partner Shin Young Metal Ind. Co., a South Korea-based automotive supplier, announced a new contract from Hyundai Motor Corporation. Cosma and Shin Young Metal will supply major stampings and welded assemblies to Hyundai’s new assembly plant in St. Petersburg, Russia, which, is expected to be operational in 2010. Cosma and Shin Young Metal will supply Hyundai from a greenfield manufacturing facility to be built close to the Hyundai assembly plant.

Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Sandra Pupatello, is currently leading the province’s first automotive mission to India and attending the largest automotive trade show in the country.