Well, no, we’re not necessarily talking about the Detroit Lions’ chances at winning the 2013 Superbowl (though who knows?) When we say “roaring, what we’re talking about is something more fundamental than even football: the fact that American automotive sales are climbing again to levels last seen in 2007 – before the so-called Great Recession hit our shores like a “Category 12” hurricane. With strong sales in China, GM has officially surpassed Toyota to once again reclaim its spot as the #1 automaker in the world. Ford Motors, the one Detroit motor company that staunchly refused government bailout money, is posting ample sales for its new 2013 models. Even Chrysler, the once-upon-a-time “Sick Man” of the Big Three, is reporting out-of-the-roof profits for this year. If American car sales continue to be as good as they were this June, then we may well realize larger profit margins for American automobiles – and corresponding opportunities for growth – than ever before seen.
As far as the role our own company has played in this sales increase, we’d like to take this moment to do a little victory dance in the In-Zone. With BK Mikro and Techna-Check sales at sky-high levels this year, one of the trends we’ve noted is just how many automotive companies and automotive Tier 1,2, and 3 supply companies are buying our systems. It seems that Detroit has shaken itself awake again and striven to find new means of productivity, savings, and innovation. One would be hard-pressed to deny that our BK Mikros and Techna-Checks, with their ability to monitor and maintain a complex machining line, haven’t played a part in this Detroit resurgence.
As the motto of the City of Detroit puts it, “Resurgit Cineribus”, a Latin phrase meaning, “Rising from the Ashes.” It’s an apt motto to describe a city that’s taken such a hard hit in this Recession, but it’s even more accurate on account of the fact that American automotive has new, rekindled life in its engines. We’re proud to have done our part in putting Detroit – and American automobiles – off life support, and back on the map where they both belong.