2nd Annual Auto Steel & Metals Conference

Tour of Nissan Plant

This year's conference also offers you the opportunity to be amongst a limited group to visit Nissan's Smyrna plant located 20 miles southeast of downtown Nashville. The plant, which represents a capital investment of $2.1 billion, is located on an 884-acre site. The plant tour begins with a video overview of operations, where you then board a tram for a ride through the 5.4 million-square-foot facility, where you'll see technicians assembling Nissan Altimas, Altima Coupes, Maximas, Frontiers, Pathfinders and Xterras. The tour begins in the Stamping plant, where sheet metal is stamped into vehicle parts. In Body Assembly plant, over 900 robots do 95% of the welding. Painted bodies ride along overhead conveyor systems on their way to the Trim and Chassis plant, where hundreds of parts are installed. Finally, finished vehicles roll off the line ready for final checks and shipment to Nissan dealers across the country

Registration and Exhibits Open

Welcome Cocktail Reception

Registration, Exhibits & Continental Breakfast

Keynote Presentation

Keynote Presentation

The Center for Automotive Research, a nonprofit organization, is focused on a wide variety of important trends and changes related to the automobile industry and society at the international, federal, state and local levels. The economics and research group focuses on a better understanding of the economic role of the motor vehicle industry in society and describing the essential economic causes of industry change.

Session I: Market Overview

Outlook on supply and demand of metals in automobiles

A look at the changing face of the auto industry

The changing production picture in North America and its impact on the metals industry.

Coffee Break

Session II: Supplying to the Auto Industry

Light weighting with aluminum – a European view

An OEM’s perspective of the auto market

New develpopments in supply chain management

Luncheon

Session III: The Battle for Market Share

The aluminum versus steel battle for market share

A look at aluminum use in autos

The change in steel from old to new material

Coffee Break

Session IV: Engineering Trend and Impacts

Trends from an OEM perspective

The evolution of materials – mixed metal constriction

How alternative technologies are adapting to changes in the auto industry

Cocktail Reception

Exhibits & Continental Breakfast

Highlight Speaker

Coffee break

Session V: Focus on Recycling

New technologies and breakthroughs in recycling

A look at aluminum’s recyclables

Steel – the most recycled metal

Session VI - Magnesium Use in Auto

A look at magnesium's potential versus aluminum for the automotive market. This session will also discuss the production of magnesium from ingot to die cast to finished parts.

Luncheon