Navistar hosted an official ribbon cutting event for its San Antonio Manufacturing Plant, a benchmark facility leading the company's manufacturing in process optimization, real-time production management and sustainability in manufacturing operations. The facility improves quality, lowers costs and provides capacity support to Navistar's current manufacturing footprint. The nearly 1 million-square-foot manufacturing facility includes a body shop, paint shop, general assembly shop and logistics center equipped to produce Class 6-8 vehicles, including electric vehicle models.

The plant is a sustainable baseline facility in site, building and process practices, to serve as a benchmark for Navistar's manufacturing network. The San Antonio Manufacturing Plant was constructed with efficient energy use goals in mind. As part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Better Buildings, Better Plants Program, Navistar is committed to reducing energy intensity in San Antonio and other U.S. plants by 20% by 2030.

LEDs illuminate the plant, using 75% less power than conventional lighting, and translucent panels allow natural light to brighten the indoor space as a supplement to the lighting system. The building also includes energy efficient wall paneling to better regulate indoor temperatures. The plant will serve as Navistar's benchmark for lean manufacturing principles to eliminate waste, improve product quality, drive operational efficiency, and reduce cost and time.

Industry 4.0 principles have been incorporated to connect digital and physical technologies, allowing the plant to be more connected and easily make data-driven decisions. Operating with a data-driven approach helps to focus on sustainability goals and metrics in addition to supporting a leaner manufacturing output. The San Antonio Manufacturing Plant complements Navistar's existing assembly manufacturing footprint, which includes truck assembly plants in Springfield, Ohio and Escobedo, Mexico; a school bus assembly plant in Tulsa, Okla.; and a powertrain manufacturing plant in Huntsville, Ala.

The sustainable manufacturing processes will be integrated in all existing manufacturing plants. In the future, Navistar plans to begin operations at the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) on-site, which accelerates implementation of emerging technologies and Industry 4.0 technologies within the commercial trucking space. The ATC is focused on product development, testing and validation efforts supporting the company's strategy, and will be a key location for future research and development footprint with a focus on zero-emission components, software and autonomous technologies.

Navistar is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), with the vision to empower an inclusive and engaged culture that drives a sense of belonging. The San Antonio Manufacturing Plant is focused on empowering employees, which is achieved through leveraging DEI principles. The new manufacturing plant will bring approximately 600 jobs to the San Antonio area.