Forma Auto Spares

Five Car Projects You Finally Have Time For On Lockdown

You’ve been putting off these car maintenance items. Now’s the time to get them done.

Rory Jurnecka Writer Mar 26, 2020

Day 1
Rory JurneckaWriterMar 26, 2020
Owning a car is a lot of responsibility. Sure, you need to be a safe and courteous driver (here's an article about driving in parking lots to help you do that), but you also need to keep up on all the little jobs your car needs to perform at its best and last for years to come. It's easy to forget these little jobs, but you won't be rewarded for your (lack of) effort. Today's cars are more reliable than ever, but these five tasks will help keep your car running and looking great for years to come.

Wash and wax your car.

Admit it: you don't wash your car often enough, and when you do it's a quick run through the local gas station's automated machine. Those machines are fine in a pinch, but non-touchless automated car washes wreak havoc on your car's paint, only leaving plenty of micro-scratches if you're lucky—and causing more severe damage if you're not. Why not get out a soft, non-abrasive sponge or wash mitt and some car wash detergent and have at it in your driveway? Your car will be cleaner than it gets in an automated wash and you'll get a closer look at any damage that could stand to be repaired.

Now's also a great time to pick up a bottle of wax and protect the paint you have left. The fancy-sounding "wax" option you add at the car wash is usually snake oil and wears off extremely quickly. Use a good quality poly or synthetic wax and apply by hand or machine (we love the new G9 random orbital available from Griot's Garage) and enjoy several months of solid protection. See paint chips in the process of cleaning and waxing your ride? Use a paint touch-up pen before little chips turn into large rust spots. If you're worried about going to the store to buy products, try online.

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Automotive Suppliers

27 March 2020
The Automotive Supply Chain and Technology team at IHS Markit conducted a survey among executives at automotive suppliers across all key regions to capture the perception of suppliers regarding the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on their manufacturing operations and the supply chain.

The survey results clearly highlight that one third of suppliers reported moderate to severe impact from fast spreading global pandemic, but there are still high levels of uncertainty among parts manufacturers on business continuity and the business outlook. The weakening of vehicle demand due to OEM plant shutdowns and availability of raw material due to logistics issues were listed as two of the major concerns.

Impact on suppliers' operations

The rapid outbreak of COVID-19 has left the entire automotive supply chain grappling with unforeseen challenges. These major issues include OEM shutdowns, output reduction, lack of sufficient labor and raw material shortages.

Nearly half of the respondents in the survey said that COVID-19 pandemic has had a "limited impact" on their operations, for example a minor reduction in output due to reduced OEM demand, with greater resilience in Asia (China and Japan mainly) where 46% of respondents claimed the disruption was contained. At the opposite side of the spectrum, Europe emerged as the region most impacted according to the survey with 64% of respondents claiming a severe impact is European-based. A severe impact is defined as a major event such as a plant shutdown. North America is so far positioned in between Asia and Europe in terms of impact according to survey respondents, which suggests the mood of the supply base follows to an extent the statistics on the outbreak as Asia seems to be recovering while Europe is currently still at the center of the outbreak.

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Ford SA, local government plan to create 7 000 jobs with new partnership to bolster economy
2019-11-05 14:10

Image: Ford SA

US car giant Ford signs new labour deal with UAW union
Ford South Africa partnered with National, Provincial and Local Government to launch the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Pretoria by South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa.

The Tshwane Automotive SEZ is an automotive component supplier industrial park that plays an intergral part in bolstering investment and job creation in the local economy.

Opportunity and development

It is also aimed at driving investment in the City of Tshwane, supporting the economic development of surrounding communities and, ultimately, becoming a world-class automotive manufacturing hub. It will be beneficial to the surrounding communities of Mamelodi, Nellmapius and Eesterust.

It will be launched in several phases, with construction already underway for the initial 81-hectar phase. Once completed, the it will span 162-hectars of land currently owned by the City of Tshwane.

"The launch of the Tshwane Automotive SEZ is a milestone achievement following five years of engagement between Ford Motor Company and government, specifically the Department of Trade and Industry," says Neale Hill, MD of Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa.

Double Shot of Sustainability: Ford and McDonald's Collaborate to Convert Coffee Bean Skin into Car Parts
06/12/19

Ford Motor Company and McDonald's USA will soon be giving vehicles a caffeine boost by using part of a familiar staple in the morning routine, coffee beans, in vehicle parts such as headlamp housing.

Every year, millions of pounds of coffee chaff - the dried skin of the bean - naturally comes off during the roasting process. Together, Ford and McDonald's can provide an innovative new home to a significant portion of that material. The companies found that chaff can be converted into a durable material to reinforce certain vehicle parts. By heating the chaff to high temperatures under low oxygen, mixing it with plastic and other additives and turning it into pellets, the material can be formed into various shapes.

The chaff composite meets the quality specifications for parts like headlamp housings and other interior and under hood components. The resulting components will be about 20 percent lighter and require up to 25 percent less energy during the molding process. Heat properties of the chaff component are significantly better than the currently used material, according to Ford. This is the first time Ford has used coffee bean skins to convert into select vehicle parts.