U.S. Rep. Kaptur, Business, Labor, and Conservation Leaders Highlight How Innovation Across Auto Industry is Creating Jobs in Ohio
Across Ohio and across America the thousands of manufacturers and millions of workers that make up the auto sector are proving that America can build competitive, cutting edge cars and trucks; save consumers money, cut pollution, and bring back thousands of manufacturing jobs at the same time.
CLEVELAND (February 24, 2017) U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH – 09) today was joined by representatives from ArcelorMittal, the United Steelworkers (USW), and National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at the Cleveland Auto Show to highlight how Ohio’s leadership on manufacturing and fuel economy are key to securing and creating jobs across the auto sector for workers in the state and around the country.
“Here in Ohio, we’re serious about growing and sustaining quality manufacturing jobs, as well as ensuring that we’re making our economy more efficient,” said Rep. Kaptur. “Today’s fuel economy standards are proof that smart standards can go hand-in-hand with making manufacturing thrive. Ohio and the auto sector are proving that you can build jobs while cutting pollution and enhancing energy security.”
At the event, new data from an upcoming BlueGreen Alliance and Natural Resources Defense Council report was released that shows that more than 1,200 facilities in 48 states are building the technology that improves fuel efficiency in today’s innovative cars and trucks. That includes 81 facilities and nearly 28,000 manufacturing workers employed building clean, efficient vehicle technology in Ohio.
“ArcelorMittal is constantly in a state of technological revolution, not just here in the U.S. but globally,” said Eric Hauge, vice president and general manager of ArcelorMittal Cleveland. “We work closely with automakers to create new advanced high-strength steels and solutions that help them create safer, more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles than ever before.”
Fuel economy standards have played a key role in boosting the auto recovery, and, the speakers said, are critical to sustaining and growing auto sector jobs in years to come.
“Here in Ohio, we’re showing every day that American workers can meet any standard, rise to any challenge—so long as what we’re building here domestically to meet those challenges. Innovation and American manufacturing go hand and hand,” said USW District 1 Director Dave McCall. “It is our highly trained workers are a key to that continued innovation.”
“The cars and trucks you see around you are better, faster, stronger and much more efficient than they were 10 years ago,” said Frank Szollosi, Great Lakes regional outreach coordinator for NWF. “Better yet many of these vehicles and the innovative parts and materials that go into them are built in America, and right here in Ohio.”