tuxnharley

http://www.huntingtoncountytab.com/c...-two-new-lines

From the article:

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 eighth 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.




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Steve_R

We really REALLY need a C8 forum here for all the rumor and speculation threads.

Boiler_81

I would think the plant manager asking the city for tax credits for C8 production would be based on the facts as he knows them, not rumor or speculation.

roadbike56

Assuming this is correct, it means the next generation Corvette will be a 2020 model. If panel production does not begin until some time in 2019, then it will be for a 2020 model, unless there are delays.
Interesting, they confirm the two model theory which does support the mid-engine car speculation.

themonk

or a Caddy......

rcooper

Second mention of this information that I have read today. This one is a lot more detailed in the company and it's relationship with the city.
I would say that this is a rather strong indication that GM is planning something out of the box in 2020 or 2021.
I hope that I am around to see it come to fruition, and if it is a mid engine Corvette or Caddy that I get the chance to drive one.
Sounds like some fun times coming up in the forum.

Vetteman Jack

That's interesting news. Possibly could be a C8 model or as mentioned, perhaps something with Caddy.

Black&White

So this would bring the Zora in 2019 and the C8 based off the Zora in 2021. About what I would expect. Boy this sure lets GMs cat out of the bag. THIS is really big news. This also proves that C8 is a fully funded and approved platform now, in full development. Great catch OP.









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MikeLsx

its not hard to believe a c8 will be coming sometime between 2020-2021

Bui

I believe each Corvette generation generally lasted about 9 years before something new is released. This one came out in 2014 and is doing pretty well, I highly doubt we will see anything new until 2022 or so....

First generation-C1 (1953–1962) - 9 Years
Second generation-C2 (1963–1967) - 4 Years
Third generation-C3 (1968–1982) - 14 Years
Fourth generation-C4 (1984–1996) - 12 Years
Fifth generation-C5 (1997–2004) - 7 Years
Sixth generation-C6 (2005–2013) - 8 Years
Seventh generation-C7 (2014–present)

Personally, I plan to go all out when ordering mine in May 2016 (2017 Model). I'd be pretty upset if it gets outdated by 2020, so I'm hoping the C7 has a LONNNNG run

John Ulrich

JoesC5

The way I read it is that a new model will go into production in 2019(2020 MY) and that the C7 will continue in production two years past that date(2022 MY). That would make the C7 a nine year run(2014-2022).

The new model introduced in 2019 could be the rumored mid-engine Vette and/or another failed Caddy. It sounds as if they will need to have substantial increased manufacturing capacity for the new panels, so I'm thinking that those new body panels would not be only for a very limited production mid-engine Vette, so maybe they plan on having both a mid-engine Vette AND a mid-engine Caddy, thus higher production requirements. That would also explain the huge increase in Bowling Green's manufacturing footage that is currently under construction.

Red C8 of Jax

Good catch OP, this company is currently making body panels for the C-7 so they should be in the know about the C-8. The Caddy XLR came out a year before the C-6 so maybe GM is going to build a Caddy similar to this concept car.

jagamajajaran

It's coming!

Steve Garrett

That's exactly why we DON'T need a new C8 forum yet. Until the new generation is formally announced, I don't expect us to add another forum.

roadbike56

I'm glad that the next generation Corvette is several years away. I just bought a C7 and I'd like to enjoy it as the latest generation before the C8 is announced. This was a major purchase for us and buying another generation in a year or two is just not in the cards.

stingraymyway

Of course there's going to be a next generation Vette. Just hope it's several years from now. Hate to see the C7 have a short production run.

alamo1974

:confuse d2:

jr3

Little birdies are talking about a new mid-engine or possible mid-engined plug-in hybrid model... That could explain why two models would be made at the same time... Technology is moving that way... Porsche has done it with the 918... Acura is doing it with the NSX... Only time will tell.

ZL-1

Remember that new-generation Corvettes are often delayed. The 68 was supposed to be a 67, the 84 was supposed to be an 83, the C5 was delayed 3 or 4 years, and the C7 was delayed a few years due to bankruptcy. Don't worry, the basic C7 should have 4 or 5 years left, the $100,000-plus mid-engine model comes first.



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