Missouri is already home to some of the most well-known automotive manufacturers in the world; both Ford and General Motors have found success with plants in the state. This is due not only to Missouri’s low business costs and large manufacturing workforce, but also to the state’s strategic location and extensive transportation network.

• In 2009, Missouri was home to the Dodge Ram, the Ford Escape, the GMC Savana, the Mercury Mariner, and the Chevy Express.
• Transportation equipment was Missouri’s top export from 2004-2008, making up one-third of the state's total exports. 
• Missouri has:
  • The 4^th lowest business costs, including labor costs and taxes, in the U.S. (CNBC).
  • The 6th best transportation network in the nation based on value of goods shipped by air, land and water, the availability of air travel, and the quality of roads (CNBC).
  • The 8^th lowest industrial electricity costs in the U.S. (EIA).

Ford: (Kansas City) Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant, one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the world, produces the Ford Escape Hybrid, Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner, Ford F-150, and Mercury Mariner Hybrid. The plant opened in 1951. The 2008 Harbour Report ranked Claycomo as the most efficient large pickup plant in the nation, with 19.19 hours per vehicle (HPV), an 11 percent reduction from last year. The plant also ranked second in compact utility production, at 17.72 HPV, down 1 percent from the previous year. This was enough for a fifth-place ranking in overall efficiency.

General Motors: (St. Louis) General Motors’ Wentzville plant produces the Chevy Express & GMC Savana vans. The plant opened in 1983, and it has been the Harbour Report North America "Most Productive Full Size Van Plant" every year since 2003.

Hayes Lemmerz International Inc.: (Sedalia) Hayes Lemmerz International is the world's #1 manufacturer of fabricated steel and cast aluminum wheels for passenger cars and light trucks, and steel wheels for commercial trucks and trailers. Their Sedalia plant employs over 500 Missourians.

Peterson Manufacturing Company: (HQ Kansas City) Peterson Manufacturing is primarily a maker of automotive and trailer lighting products.  The company also makes automotive mirrors. Lighting customers include Harley-Davidson, Caterpillar, and O'Reilly Automotive.

Smith Electric Vehicles: (Kansas City) Smith Electric Vehicles recently began production  at a new assembly facility in Kansas City. The first Newton electric truck rolled off the line in October of 2009. The Kansas City plant is SEV’s only North American plant.

SRG Global: (Farmington and Portageville) SRG Global manufactures plastic and metal components for the global automotive industry. The company operates 2 manufacturing facilities in Missouri supplying grilles, bodyside moldings, nameplates, and other trim products to automotive manufacturers.

TG Missouri Corp.: (HQ Perryville) TG Missouri Corp.’s products include steering wheels, airbags, side molding, interior and exterior plastic trim components for automobiles. The company is affiliated with Toyoda Gosei.

Missouri has thirteen colleges across the state that offer courses and Associate degrees in precision production trades.

Automechanika
September 14-19, 2010
Frankfurt, Germany