March 29, 2013—The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) has urged President Obama to include motor vehicle parts manufacturers in the administration’s recently unveiled plan, “Blueprint for a Clean and Secure Energy Future.”
MEMA supports the president’s plan to establish an energy trust to support research into cost-effective technologies, including advanced vehicle technologies.
“We urge the Administration to recognize the integral and critical role that automotive and heavy-duty suppliers play in the vehicle industry and ensure that all suppliers are engaged in applicable future federal funding programs,” said Robert McKenna, president and CEO of MEMA, in a letter sent to the White House on March 25.
MEMA says the program’s success hinges on the inclusion of motor vehicle parts manufacturers, as that industry accounts for 30 percent of the total $18 billion in automotive research and development investment.
In addition, MEMA says parts manufacturers add more than 70 percent of new vehicle value through intellectual capital and the deployment of established and emerging technologies.
