Production begins at Bodine aluminum

[Bakemono]

http://www.nyse.com/interface/jsp/NH...dowjones=false

Production began today at Bodine Aluminum, Inc. (Bodine), a Toyota subsidiary which casts aluminum engine blocks.

Bodine, located on a 200-acre site in the Airport Industrial Park, will eventually employ 220 and invest $164 million. Bodine will cast about one million engine blocks annually and beginning in 2007 will have the capacity to cast 270,000 aluminum transmission cases and housings annually. The initial Jackson-made V6 engine blocks are destined for Toyota's engine plant in Kentucky, and then into the Toyota Camry and Avalon sedans also made in Kentucky. "Engine blocks, the heart of Toyota engines known for high quality, durability and efficiency, will be manufactured by these outstanding team members right here in Jackson," Sudo said.

Bodine was founded in 1912 and became a Toyota subsidiary in 1990. The Company's two plants in Troy and St. Louis, Mo., produce aluminum cylinder heads, aluminum cylinder blocks and other aluminum castings for most of Toyota' North American-produced vehicles. Bodine employs about 1,100 in its three facilities.

Cap'n

[Cyorke]

Sweet. OS I guess it was a 1MZ block or maybe it was something new for the Camry. Maybe the GR in the Avalon also I guess

[4-Lunner]

Actually 1MZ block goes away now and Bodine will make the 2GR block for the Camry and Avalon. Can't wait to see their next project. The new V8 for the '07 Tundra.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs....511100314/1002

[Cyorke]

SO according to that article they produced jsut over 1000 engine blocks with only 53 people working and they were at 90% capacity at that time. That is a shit load of aluminum.

[4-Lunner]

Actually, several sh*t loads. The current capacity is 1080 per day at 85% OA and only spitting them out on two machines. It will more than double next year with the addition of 3 more machines and be very similar for V8. That's a lot of melted beer cans so drink up