Contents Introduction................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 The Economic Contribution of the Automobile Industry to the United States..................................................................... 5 Production of Light Vehicles......................................................................................................................................................... 6 figure 1: Total U.S. Motor Vehicle Production (vehicles) ................................................................................................... 6 Automobile Industry Output Levels ............................................................................................................................................. 7 figure 2: Total U.S. Motor Vehicle Production (dollars) ..................................................................................................... 7 Automobile Industry Contributions to GDP................................................................................................................................. 7 table 1: GDP and Motor Vehicle Output Changes .............................................................................................................. 8 Production of the Automobile Industry Relative to Other Industries ........................................................................................... 8 table 2: Industrial Production Indexes, Durable Manufacturing ........................................................................................ 8 Employment Levels in the Automobile Industry .......................................................................................................................... 9 figure 3: Motor Vehicles and Equipment Levels ............................................................................................................... 9 figure 4: Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies–U.S. Employment Levels ............................................................................ 11 figure 5: Additional Industry Categories–Employment Levels......................................................................................... 12 table 3: Total Employment Levels in the Automobile Industry ........................................................................................ 13 figure 6: Total Employment Levels in the Automobile Industry ...................................................................................... 13 The Automobile Industry’s Extended Reach .............................................................................................................................. 14 SLC State-Specific Information.................................................................................................................................................. 14 table 4: Motor Vehicle Industry Contributions to SLC Gross State Products (GSP) ........................................................ 15 figure 7: Growth in Motor Vehicle Contributions to GSP, SLC States and U.S. Average ................................................ 17 table 5: Private Sector Contributions of the Automobile Industry by SLC State ............................................................. 18 Globalization and the Automobile Industry ........................................................................................................................... 20 International Trade in Automobiles and Automobile Parts......................................................................................................... 22 table 6: U.S. Trade Flows by All Shippers of Motor Vehicles .......................................................................................... 22 figure 8: U.S. Trade Flow Balances................................................................................................................................... 23 table 7: U.S. Trade Flows of Motor Vehicles in Total Units.............................................................................................. 24 table 8: U.S. Automobile Trade ........................................................................................................................................ 24 table 9: New Car and Light Truck Sales in Millions of Vehicles and Share of Total........................................................ 25 figure 9: Major Automobile Manufacturers–U.S. Market Share Growth Rate ................................................................. 26 Foreign Automobile Manufacturers Establishing Assembly Plants in the United States ........................................................... 26 table 10: Vehicle, Model and Location of Foreign Assembly Plants ................................................................................ 27 table 11: Locations and Employment Levels at International Nameplate Dealers in SLC States .................................... 28 The Drive to Move South: Automobile Manufacturers Locating Plants in the South ....................................................... 29 table 12: Assembly Plants in the South ............................................................................................................................. 30 Jacksonville Port Authority-JAXPORT ...................................................................................................................................... 34 figure 10: JAXPORT-Automobile Statistics...................................................................................................................... 34 Maryland Ports Administration–Port of Baltimore..................................................................................................................... 34 Georgia Ports Authority–Port of Brunswick............................................................................................................................... 35 figure 11: Port of Brunswick–Auto/Machinery................................................................................................................. 36 South Carolina State Ports Authority (SPA)–Port of Charleston................................................................................................ 37 Alabama State Docks-Port of Mobile......................................................................................................................................... 38 The Road Ahead for the U.S. Automobile Industry: Challenges of a Sluggish Economy .................................................. 39 figure 12: U.S. New Car and Light Truck Sales................................................................................................................ 40 figure 13: National Nameplate of New U.S. Vehicle Sales Percent Sales......................................................................... 42 table 13: Automobile Incentives and Monthly Selling Rates (Annualized)...................................................................... 43 table 14: Profitability and Productivity of Major Automakers ......................................................................................... 44 figure 14: Profit Per Vehicle ............................................................................................................................................. 44 The Automoble Industry in the Southern Legislative Conference States ............................................................................ 46 The Automobile Industry in Alabama......................................................................................................................................... 47 table 15: Automobile Operations in Alabama’s Four Major Regions ............................................................................... 47 table 16: Extent of Incentive Packages Provided by Alabama .......................................................................................... 51 table 17: Alabama’s Hyundai Suppliers ........................................................................................................................... 57 The Automobile Industry in Arkansas ........................................................................................................................................ 58 table 18: New and Expanded Motor Vehicle Parts Suppliers............................................................................................ 59 figure 15: Automobile Parts Suppliers in Arkansas, Companies by Number of Employees............................................. 59 The Automobile Industry in Florida ........................................................................................................................................... 61 table 19: A Sampling of Florida’s Automobile-Related Businesses ................................................................................. 62 table 20: Automobile Industry’s Role in Florida’s Economy............................................................................................ 62 The Automobile Industry in Georgia .......................................................................................................................................... 64 table 21: Production figures–GM’s Doraville Plant .......................................................................................................... 67 The Automobile Industry in Kentucky.......................................................................................................................................