Expansion of Corvette Supplier Who Makes Its Sheet Molded Composite Body Panels

[John]

We knew this was coming several years ago when the Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) filed for a economic development expansion grant to increase the size of its Huntington, IN facility where is was then, and still is making the C7’s body panels. In that grant application, much to the chagrin of top Corvette team staff, for they literally turned sheet white when I showed them that original public article because it noted that CSP was going to build a second building for additional, cojunct manufacturing of SMC (sheet molded composite) panels for a second Corvette line (e.g., the C7 was originally going to be made at the same time as the C8; true then, but many of us believe lots has changed, and the C7’s production end is sometime this summer.]

Here are a couple of very recognizable, panels being made in that CSP plant at this time.







What has not changed, is that CSP will continue to make the C7’s SMC panels up to the transition time when they will only transition to making C7 “breakage/replacement” panels. As a matter of logic and “more,” we know CSP has already been making C8 body panels for some time — albeit in very small quantity to this point in time. The common sense proof of this is that the C8 IVERS have not been running around without such panels, or as one friend said to me with some colorful language, “what do you think the C8’s xxxxxxx camo has been attached to?”

Meanwhile CSP’s other customers, including other GM divisions/options and also Ford, have increasingly hired CSP to do their body panels — and why the 2016 grant proceeded forward to actual building and production expansion even though at some time probably just before BGA’s fall shut down to tool for the C8’s production, BGA itself probably will only be the recipient for one set of CSP panels, e.g., for the C8.

Before getting into this thread, a shout out to our Super Sleuth “jagamajajaran” who found and shared the following article with us. Thank you Jag!!!

Published on Huntington County Tab (http://www.huntingtoncountytab.com)


Home > CSP cuts ribbon to new 130,000 SF expansion

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Thursday, November 1, 2018 7:37 AM
[1]


Continental Structural Plastics personnel, local government officials and economic development dignitaries cut the ribbon at a new 130,000 square-foot facility on the CSP Huntington campus on Friday, Oct. 26. Celebrating the occasion are (from left) Linda Walczak, director, Northeast Region, Indiana Economic Development Corporation; Larry Buzzard, president, Huntington County Board of Commissioners; Steve Rooney, CEO, Continental Structural Plastics; Dave Malik, director, Lower Body Structures, General Motors; Masumi Hirata, assistant to Composites Business Unit Manager; Rob Miller, Huntington County commissioner; Mark Voss, engineering group manager, General Motors; Huntington Mayor Brooks Fetters; Mark Wickersham, executive director, Huntington County Economic Development; and Karen Williams, plant manager, CSP Huntington.

Continental Structural Plastics officially opened a 130,000 square-foot expansion to its adjacent facility on Friday, Oct. 26, increasing the Huntington manufacturing plant’s presence to 340,000 feet. Huntington city and county officials joined economic development dignitaries and CSP’s management staff to cut the ribbon.

The additional space will allow for new production lines for structure and Class A components for its key programs, which include the Chevrolet Corvette, Chevy Silverado, Ford Raptor and GMC Sierra Denali CarbonPro pickup box.

Construction on the new expansion, which represents a $33.5 million investment, began in June 2016. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered CSP up to $600,000 in tax credits and up to $50,000 in training grants. CSP has already begun hiring for an expected 80 additional production, engineering and administrative positions.

CSP opened its initial 340,000 square foot facility in 2010 and currently employs more than 400 people. It is owned by Japanese company Teijin Group Limited in 2017, which employs 4,300 people globally in 17 facilities on three continents. Teijin is the largest compounder of sheet-molded compound in North America.

Source URL: http://www.huntingtoncountytab.com/c...0-sf-expansion

Here’s a video showing CSP production in operation including some C7 panels being made.

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[Brad]

The new Shelby GT500 has SMC fenders and hood.

[John]

Here’s the Feb., 2016 article that let the cat out of the bag, to the great consternation of top Corvette team members when I showed it to them at the April, 2016 NCM Bash. Note that is says that the new generation would launch in 2019, and if the rumor of last week that 2019 start of C8 production is this December, hmmm.

BTW, who also found the Feb., 2016 below article? Yes, it was Jag (the same person who has found most of the C8 potential patents, even more than the rest of automedia combined).

Published on Huntington County Tab (http://www.huntingtoncountytab.com)


Home > Common council hears that CSP in running for two new lines

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By Cindy Klepper - Wednesday, February 10, 2016 8:36 AM

A Huntington manufacturing facility is in the running to gain two new production lines that would see the plant nearly double in size and, its manager says, solidify its position in the community for years to come.

On Tuesday, Feb. 9, the Huntington Common Council took steps that will eventually allow it to provide some financial assistance to help make that become reality.
The council, as it does every two years, passed a resolution preliminarily designating specific areas in Huntington — generally areas zoned for business and industry — as economic revitalization areas (ERAs). Following a public hearing on Feb. 23, the council will be asked to give final approval to the ERAs — paving the way to continue to grant tax abatements for growing companies.

One of those companies will likely be Continental Structural Plastics, which makes body panels for Corvettes. The plant's manager, Jerry Reid, and the executive director of Huntington County Economic Development, Mark Wickersham, came before the council to explain as much of the company's plans as they could.

CSP could be awarded “two significant product lines” that would launch in 2019, Reid said. The first line would be body panels for the new generation of Corvettes. The body panels now being made in Huntington are for the current C7 Corvette; Reid says the plant is working to win the right to manufacture body panels for the eight generation of the sports car.

The current model would continue to be manufactured for two years after production of the new model begins, Reid said, necessitating the addition of 110,000 to 130,000 square feet to the current 165,000 square feet of manufacturing space.

“We want to expand the facility so we can make both at the same time,” he said.

Once production of the C7 body panels ends, he said, that space would be used for the second new line — a line Reid said is still secret, but would be a new introduction to the market. The entire project would increase CSP's work force from 323 to about 480, he said. The jobs pay in the range of $15 to $16 an hour, he said.

“It's kind of a game changer,” Reid said, adding that it would provide stability for the Huntington plant into the future. “We will be looked at as one of the flagships in the company.

The company would want to start construction of the addition as soon as possible, Reid said, probably in late spring or early summer. But CSP wouldn't generate any revenue from that investment for several years, he said.
That's where the tax abatement — which is made possible by the renewal of designated economic revitalization areas — comes into play, Wickersham explained.

In the past, tax abatements were traditionally granted for 10 years. Property taxes on a company's new buildings or equipment were phased in over the 10 years, beginning at zero and going up incrementally until the full assessment was paid at the end of the decade. Throughout the period, the company continues to pay the full amount of property taxes on the buildings and equipment in place before the expansion.
CSP is currently paying about $78,000 a year in property taxes, Reid said; with the addition of CEDIT and LOIT paid by employees, CSP generates about $155,000 a year in revenue for the city.

“That does not stop,” Wickersham said. What would change, he said, is the way taxes on the new space and new equipment would be phased in. Under a new state statute, the city can grant a tax abatement with a phase-in schedule tailored to the project under consideration. For example, Wickersham said, the council could allow the company to pay no property taxes for the first five years, and then begin phasing in the taxes. Wickersham said CSP would benefit from a more aggressive abatement schedule.

Although CSP has not yet officially requested a tax abatement from the city, Wickersham said both the state of Indiana and Huntington County are offering incentives to convince the company's Auburn Hills, MI, headquarters to place the project in Huntington.

http://www.huntingtoncountytab.com/print/37211

[John]

The new Shelby GT500 has SMC fenders and hood.

Thanks Brad, According to “Epiphany” on the Mustang6g forum:

“The thermoset fenders and hood will be SMC (sheet molding compound). Continental Structural Plastics will be supplying the class A panels to Ford for the GT500.

[Ateupjoe]

BTW, who also found the Feb., 2016 below article? Yes, it was Jag (the same person who has found most of the C8 potential patents, even more than the rest of automedia combined).

I hereby nominate him for the Sherlock Holmes sleuth award!

[John]

Maybe we should ask him to please find for us the so-far-hidden final GM 2020 C8 pictures?

[C8-wannabe]

Maybe we should ask him to please find for us the so-far-hidden final GM 2020 C8 pictures?

Surely he's looking!

[TtiME]

Maybe we should ask him to please find for us the so-far-hidden final GM 2020 C8 pictures?

Find them! He probably has them, just can’t share them!

[WoW Factor]

Two days ago CSP listed a quality control job opening in Bowling Green. https://www.google.com/search?client...V6AAAAAA%3D%3D

[John]

Thanks Wow Factor. Anyone here applying?

[jagamajajaran]

I can neither confirm nor deny said allegations.

[John]

Jag, if your business were not located elsewhere, might we have seen a moving van heading east from where you now live?

[ZL-1]

Thanks John and Jag, great stuff. This reminds us how plans do change over time. I’m reminded of the the C5 Corvette which is often criticized for its big butt. One big reason for the big butt was the requirement that it accommodate a temporary spare tire back there. Later in the development of the C5 plans changed and the spare tire was eliminated. But if you lift up the trunk floor panel of every 1997-2004 Corvette you see a big circular depression where the spare tire was going to reside. That big intrusion is why C5’s had to have that weird and convoluted muffler system.

These news articles make it clearer that while C7 production may have initially been planned to continue during midengine production it appears that those plans may have changed. With all the changes at GM’s top levels it would be no surprise if current expense-conscious management might be a lot less favorable to marketing even one sports car let alone two. Fortunately for us midengine development was well underway before GM’s recent belt tightening. I hope GM’s recent layoffs don’t impact any of our friends in the Corvette group.

[C8Driving]

Thanks ZL-1. I had no idea about the C5 was originally slated to come with a temp spare.

Good comment about whether GM’s budget cuts have effected some members of the Corvette group. I know it has definitely effected travel budgets for them, for some who have been to top C7.R races for over a decade were told, no longer will GM be paying for you to attend that event. How much deeper than that?