The Washington times., 1922-12-31
AUTO INDUSTRY SEES
BANNER YEAR AHEAD
Detroit Manufacturers Expect
1923 Business to Break
All Records.
PRODUCTION NOW AT PEAK
Expansions Planned to Meet
0emand-Big Merger Is
'RQmored.
PRODUCTION NOW AT PEAK
BY ROY {. HAYES,
Universal Service.

DETROIT, Dec. 3O.-The automo.
tive industry is facing. the most
prosperous year II has ever known,
according to Detroit motor-car eXecu-
tives. Production schedules now al
ranged for 1928 should make the to-
tai output of cars and trucks ap-
proximately 5000, 900, 1t is estimated.
A merger of three large Detroit
companies is rkmored. in order to
afford greater working capital to
meet the keen competition which the
New Year promises. All local COM
panies are bolstering their finances
in preparation for year that prom
ises to offer the stiffest sort of COM
petition, especially in cars of the
medium-priced class.
1922 BANNER YEAR.
Detroit motor plants have enjoyed
the best December in history. The
New Year is expected to offer better
business than was enjoyed in the
two banner years to date-1920 and
1922.
A signal indication of what is to
be expected next year is seen in the
attitude of Detroit plants during
this year.
Not one Detroit plant has stopped
Its wheels entirely for the customary
inventory period in December The
majority have Cancelled the custo.
mary one-week shutdown during the
twelfth month.
Ford Motor Company, for instance.
now employing $4,000 people, re-
duced its inventory period from two
weeks or ten days to three working
days. The inventory affected only
the Highland Park plant, which em-
ploys $4,000 workers. Ford's 10000
employees will all be on hand Tues
DAY TO start work on an advancing
production schedule. which promises
to reach 5000 a day by April /. The
current output approXimates 5000 "A
day.
Ford is now making 200 alumi-
mum body four-door sedans daily.
No official announcement has been
made OF the new body type because
or the present demand which is in
excess of the supply. The new body
ls said to be lighter and even more
durable.
Cadillac Motor Car Company has
done away with the usual inventory
for the first time in it's history to
meet the demand for cars which
has resulted from the recent price
reduction.
CAPACITY INCREASED.
Studebaker orders have been run.
ming considerably in excess of pro.
duction. The company made no.
600 cars this year but the output
fell short of the demand To keep
pace with the increasing call for
cars Studehaker will erect two new
units n Detroit With the new
units completed the Detroit plant
viii have IA capacity of 275 cars a
day.
With the return of Capt. f.. V.
RickenhacEer from business trip
to the Pacific coast. the Ricken-
hacker Motor Company has step
ped UP its production schedule from
the proposed 10000 10 5000 cars
to be made next year. FIVE thous-
and Rickenbackers have already
been sold.
Hudson and Essex had the most
successful years in their resnective
histories. Hudson soles for the
year totaled 26.271. Essex figures
came to 34.962.
Dodge Brothers factories are run
ming at capacity. turning out 625
cars "a day. Maxwell now In full
control of Chalmers. is going ahead
with schedule which will show
some advance over 1922 on both
Maxwell and Chalmers.