Mazda Toyota breaks ground in Huntsville
It was an event rich in promise and prosperity, the moment when the gigantic automobile manufacturing plant worth more than $1 billion – with a “b” – was becoming a reality. The ceremony on a cool Friday morning in a heated tent in rural Limestone County brimmed with excitement, the formal groundbreaking ceremony of the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA plant featuring speeches by a U.S. senator and a governor. – AL.com
Mazda Toyota in Alabama: ‘The new frontier’
What does it mean to your organization? State and local leaders in government, business and education answered that question Friday at the groundbreaking for Huntsville’s new Mazda Toyota automobile manufacturing plant. The two companies gave their own opening answers at the groundbreaking with $870,000 in donations to six local and area school systems, job training programs and local charities. – AL.com
David’s Bridal wants to continue despite bankruptcy
David’s Bridal, the nation’s largest wedding retailer, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday with plans to stay in business. The company is saddled with hundreds of millions in debt from a private-equity buyout several years ago and faces a surge of digital competition. – USA Today
Austal delivers USNS Burlington to Navy
Austal USA delivered the expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Burlington to the U.S. Navy during a ceremony onboard the ship at the company’s headquarters in Mobile last week. This is the fourth ship Austal has delivered to the Navy this year, according to the company. – WALA
Birmingham startup offers onsite fuel delivery
Onsite fuel delivery from Birmingham startup FuelFox is now available to individuals, the company announced. FuelFox is a mobile gas station, and through the company’s new smartphone app, motorists can schedule tank fill-ups at dedicated locations – known as Fox Spots — throughout the Birmingham area. The company’s weekly fueling schedules can be found on the app and website. – AL.com
New U.S. Steelworkers contract contains raise linked to tariffs
The United Steelworkers approved a new contract with U.S. Steel Corp. that will increase wages, a major source of contention as labor was looking to benefit from the import tariffs the Trump administration passed in March. The union approved a new four-year agreement that includes a 14 percent wage increase over the life of the contract and strengthens benefits for members. – Bloomberg
German automakers taunted on their EV progress
Germany’s Minister of Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier is apparently not satisfied with the electrification effort of German automakers. He reportedly asked the top brass of Germany’s auto industry ‘When will you build an electric car that is only half as sexy as a Tesla?’ According to several German publications, Altmaier made the comment on a panel about artificial intelligence in Germany. – Elektrek
