Navistar Breaks Ground on San Antonio Truck Plant
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Navistar International Corp. and local and state officials June 25 celebrated, in a virtual setting, groundbreaking in San Antonio on its most advanced manufacturing facility, a $250 million investment.
“There is a lot of uncertainty in the world, but one thing Navistar is certain of is our commitment to move forward on the San Antonio manufacturing facility,” Chairman and CEO Troy Clarke said in the online event. “This groundbreaking event demonstrates our ability to proceed with this new world-class facility as we advance on the goals of our Navistar 4.0 [growth] strategy. Today is the beginning of what we know will be a long and prosperous relationship with Texas and the San Antonio region.”
The 900,000-square-foot plant will produce Classes 6-8 vehicles with production scheduled to begin in early 2022. About 600 jobs will be created, according to the Lisle, Ill.-based company, which anticipates long-term industry growth.
The plant’s location allows for significant logistics improvements and a consolidation of the company’s supply base, a company release noted. The facility also will incorporate the latest manufacturing principles — digital factory, connected machinery, robust lean manufacturing processes and cloud analytics. This enables predictive quality and maintenance, and allows data-driven decisions to be made on the shop floor in real time.
COVID-19 has changed the rules of business, disrupted supply chains and created market volatility. Host Seth Clevenger revisits interviews with a broad range of industry experts and their evolving response to the pandemic. Hear a snippet, above, and get the full program by going to RoadSigns.TTnews.com.
The plant also will “shorten the orders-to-delivery time while improving quality to set the standard in the industry,” Chief Operating Officer Persio Lisboa said.
JUNE 26 UPDATE: Lisboa to become president and CEO.
Navistar, parent of the International commercial truck brand, expects to be able to share the advanced industrial concepts with its existing plants.
Navistar International Corp. is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International brand commercial trucks, proprietary diesel engines, and IC Bus brand school and commercial buses. One affiliate also provides truck and diesel engine service parts and another offers financing services.
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