Watch It Made Blog

Posts for January 2007

Gearing Up Our New Blog: Automotive Tours
 
Welcome! Thanks for reading the inaugural entry of our blog here at Amazon.com. You can read more about any of the companies and tours we blog about, both at our website (www.factorytour.com) and, of course, in the 4th edition of Watch It Made in the U.S.A.
 
We're kicking off with an entry about kicking the tires of the American automotive industry. You don't need to be a car buff to enjoy a tour of a vehicle factory. Anybody interested in modern American manufacturing will enjoy the technology and flying sparks you see in these tours.
 
Robots and people work together in futuristic harmony at plants run by the big car-makers. If you are planning a trip through the South, consider visiting Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Georgetown, Kentucky, and Hyundai Motor Manufacturing in Montgomery, Alabama. Though these sites are vast, electric trams take you through the tour in comfort.
 
Of course, cars are only part of the automotive industry. Special craftsmanship is called for in the making of motorcycles, and there is no better place to witness this ingenuity and skill than Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Harley-Davidson offers tours at three sites: Powertrain Operations in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin; Vehicle Operations in York, Pennsylvania; and Vehicle & Powertrain Operations in Kansas City, Missouri.
 
In the area of Moline, Illinois, John Deere offers a double treat. At John Deere Harvester you can see the production of giant machines that work on the front lines of American agriculture. Meanwhile, not far away, in East Moline, you can visit the world's largest agricultural museum: the John Deere Pavilion. Here you can investigate farm vehicles of the past, present, and future.
 
Elsewhere in the Midwest, you can explore another class of wheels: the recreational vehicle (RV). In Forest City, Iowa, Winnebago Industries runs the world's largest production plant for RVs: a factory that covers 200 acres! Jayco is the largest privately held maker of RVs in the US, and its factory and visitor center in Middlebury, Indiana, are also well worth a visit.
 
Please check back next month for another installment of our blog. Meanwhile, enjoy the book and tours!
Posted By Karen Axelrod Jan 30, 2007