Global commercial vehicle maker Navistar on Wednesday announced the opening of its San Antonio Manufacturing plant. A benchmark facility leading its manufacturing in process optimisation, real-time production management and sustainability in manufacturing operations, the new plan improves quality, lowers costs and provides capacity support to Navistar's current manufacturing footprint.
The nearly one million-square-foot manufacturing facility includes a body shop, paint shop, general assembly shop and logistics centre equipped to produce Class 6-8 vehicles, including electric vehicle models. The plant is a sustainable baseline facility in site, building, and process practices to benchmark Navistar's manufacturing network.
The San Antonio Manufacturing Plant complements Navistar's existing assembly manufacturing footprint, including truck assembly plants in Springfield, Ohio and Escobedo, Mexico; a school bus assembly plant in Tulsa, Okla.; and a powertrain manufacturing plant in Huntsville, Ala. The sustainable manufacturing processes will be integrated in all existing manufacturing plants.
In the future, Navistar plans to begin operations at the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) on-site, which accelerates the implementation of emerging technologies and Industry 4.0 technologies within the commercial trucking space. The ATC is focused on product development, testing and validation efforts supporting the company's strategy and will be a key location for future research and development footprint focusing on zero-emission components, software and autonomous technologies.
Mark Hernandez, Executive Vice President, Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain, said, 'The San Antonio manufacturing plant was meticulously planned and constructed to highlight our many manufacturing strengths and build toward future manufacturing goals surrounding Industry 4.0 technologies, quality and sustainability.'
'In support of our company focus, we are taking actions to reduce the environmental impact of our manufacturing operations with the goal of becoming zero carbon as we transform the future of transportation. The first vehicle off the manufacturing line in San Antonio was the International eMV Series electric truck; the purpose of the plant from inception was to have the capability to manufacture both electric and internal combustion engine powertrains in the same facility,' he added.