Volvo Plans US Factory

[KiwiRob]

as the title states Volvo is planning a US factory.

Volvo has announced that it will build an assembly plant in the United States as part of its plan to become a “truly global carmaker.”

The Swedish brand, now owned by the Chinese company Geely, currently builds cars at two factories in Sweden and two in China. Volvo has not said which models would be built at the U.S. facility, or what the planned annual production capacity will be.

Having a factory in the NAFTA region can provide overseas automakers some protection against currency fluctuations. Today, all Volvos sold here are imported from Europe (except for the recently announced long-wheelbase version of the S60, which will come from China).

It’s interesting that Volvo is bypassing low-wage Mexico and is siting its plant in the U.S.A. The company has not specified where the facility will be located—will it be in the currently fashionable Southeast? Or will Volvo really buck the low-wage trend and choose a location more in tune with the brand’s zeitgeist: Connecticut, say? Or Marin County? In any event, the winning locale will get a $500-million factory, along with all the ancillary economic benefits that may bring.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/built-in-the-u-s-a-volvo-plans-american-factory/

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

The site chosen is going to be in South Carolina, near Charleston.

 

[Rainer271]

Volvo begins construction on their first U.S. plant, will build the next-generation S60

Volvo US plant groundbreaking

Volvo has begun construction on their new plant in Berkeley County, South Carolina.

Set to cost $500 million, the plant will build the next-generation S60 sedan as well as another model that has "yet to be determined." The plant will have the capacity to produce up to 100,000 cars annually and they will be sold in the United States as well as oversea markets.

Volvo went on to say the next-generation S60 is currently under development and it will ride on the company's Scalable Product Architecture (SPA).

In a statement, Volvo's Senior Vice President of the Americas Lex Kerssemakers said “Volvo Cars’ new South Carolina plant is a reflection of our firm commitment to the US market." He added, "The United States is a cornerstone in Volvo Cars’ global expansion plan and together with a whole range of new cars in the coming years, this new plant will play a vital role in growing our presence in the United States.”

Source: Volvo

 

[SCOTT27]

South Carolina is the ideal place for a manufacturer, good supply links as well as train links and deep water ports.
At a guess the other vehicle will be the XC60 replacement. It makes sense to manufacture that vehicle in the US.

 

[ZicZachZo]

S. Carolina is also a right-to-work state which means the local labor force will find it difficult to unionise.

 

[SDNR]

S. Carolina is also a right-to-work state which means the local labor force will find it difficult to unionise.

Interesting. I guess that is why they chose it. Those good bosses from the "workers paradise" known as The People's Republic Of China obviously don't like those pesky American workers having too much power . Lol