Mich. Should Gain Ground

For the third straight year Ontario, Canada, is the top auto-producing state or province in North America, but No.2 Michigan will regain some lost ground in 2007, a Ward's forecast shows.

Total North American new-vehicle production, including medium- and heavy-duty trucks, was pegged to finish 2006 at an estimated 15,833,096 units, down 3.0% from 16,316,670 in 2005.

Ontario production fell to an estimated 2,557,294 in 2006, down 4.4% from 2,675,788 in 2005, and its share of the North American total dropped 0.2 points to 16.2%. However, its gap over Michigan widened, as the Big Three's home state saw production decline 9.3% to 2,281,417 cars and trucks and its share fall a full point to 14.4%.

But in 2007, in an environment where total continental production is forecast by Ward's to slip 1.2% to 15,650,806 units, Michigan is expected to increase output 4.2% to 2,376,648 vehicles, mostly a result of General Motors Corp.'s ramp-up of cross/utility vehicle production at its new Delta Township, MI, plant.

Michigan's 2007 tally should be good enough for 15.2% of the North American total, closing the chasm with Ontario, which is forecast to account for a still-leading 16.3% of output.