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Stellantis Says It will Invest $13B to Expand Its US Operations, Adding More Than 5,000 Jobs by Alex Veiga

William Attardi on October 15, 2025

Stellantis says it will invest $13 billion over the next four years to expand its manufacturing capacity in the United States, a move that the automaker says will increase its domestic vehicle production by 50% and add more than 5,000 jobs. The world’s fourth-largest carmaker said Tuesday the investment will support the introduction of five new vehicles, including a Dodge Durango to be built in Detroit and a midsize truck to be assembled in Toledo, Ohio. The new jobs will be spread across plants in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.  Stellantis says it will invest $13B to expand its US operations, adding more than 5,000 jobs | AP News

Hyundai Says It Will Spend $2.7 Billion Expanding Part of the Georgia Complex Raided by ICE

William Attardi on September 19, 2025

Hyundai Motor Group confirmed it is going forward with previously announced plans to expand its Georgia plant, just weeks after an immigration raid delayed the startup of an electric vehicle battery plant at the site. As part of a broader investment strategy, Hyundai said it would spend $2.7 billion to increase production capacity at the Ellabell, Georgia site by 200,000 over the next three years, to a total of 500,000 vehicles a year.  Hyundai said that it plans to make more than 80% of vehicles sold in the United States domestically by 2030, with total domestic content increasing from 60% to 80%. Hyundai pledges to hire at least 8,500 workers by the end of 2031. Hyundai to expand Georgia plant despite ICE raid | AP News

GM to invest $4 Billion to Shift Some Production from Mexico to the US

William Attardi on June 11, 2025

Shares of General Motors rose before the opening bell after announcing plans to invest $4 billion to shift some production from Mexico to U.S. manufacturing plants as the automaker navigates tariffs that could drive prices higher. President Trump signed executive orders in April, relaxing some of his 25% tariffs on automobiles and auto parts, a significant reversal as the import taxes threatened to hurt domestic manufacturers. GM said late Tuesday that the investment will be made over the next two years and is for its gas and electric vehicles.  GM to invest $4 billion to shift some production from Mexico to the US | AP News

The Statue of Liberty was made with copper but due to oxidation, it turned green.

When the “Lady in the Harbor” first arrived in New York in 1886, she didn’t look like the mint-green icon we know today. In fact, for the first twenty years of her life, she stood as a towering, metallic beacon of reddish-gold. Designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and engineered by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the statue was a gift from France to America. To build her, Bartholdi chose copper for three practical reasons:

  • Malleability:It could be hammered into elaborate, thin sheets.
  • Weight:Copper is lighter than stone or bronze, making it easier to ship 350 individual pieces across the Atlantic.
  • Durability:It was strong enough to survive a 27-day ocean voyage and the harsh winds of the harbor.

When she was unveiled on October 28, 1886, her skin—made of 300 copper sheets roughly the thickness of two pennies—shone with a bright, metallic brown luster. The transformation from “penny-colored” to “patina-green” wasn’t planned. Bartholdi actually expected the statue to age into a deeper, darker red. However, the unique environment of New York Harbor—a mix of salt air, moisture, and industrial pollution—triggered a process called oxidation.

The Timeline of Change:

  1. 1886–1900:The bright copper dulled into a dark, muddy brown.
  2. 1903:The first hints of a light green crust, or “patina,” began to appear.
  3. 1906:The color change was so controversial that Congress nearly stepped in. They appropriated $62,000 to paint the statue back to its original color, but the public protested, calling the idea “sacrilege.”
  4. 1910–1920:The statue was a patchy mix of brown and green until 1920, when the oxidation was complete, leaving her entirely teal.

While we now view the green color as iconic, it actually serves a vital structural purpose. The layer of verdigris (the green patina) acts as a protective shield. It seals the copper underneath, preventing the metal from further corrosion and weathering.  By the time the color fully changed, a new generation of immigrants had arrived in America seeing a green statue.