Adding the growing list of foreign brands that have expanded into the US markets, Hyundai Motor America reports that they enjoyed record sales in the month of July. The company delivered 62,021 motor vehicles during the month, and that figure represents an increase of 9.5 percent over July 2011. This is an all-time July record for the company, and it seems to suggest that Hyundai Motor America is a stable and healthy brand at the moment. With current market conditions still sagging, this is quite an accomplishment.

The company has continued to make a name for itself in the field of fuel efficiency. Sales of Hyundai models that get around 40 miles to the gallon were up by 38 percent. This figure came to a total of 23,517 units. The Hyundai Sonata continued to hold steady from July 2011′s numbers. Demand for the Elantra continued to grow. Additional Coupe and GT models have driven sales of this somewhat unique vehicle.

Not every bit of news about the company has been good, however. Some models have actually suffered on the lot. Demand for the Hyundai Accent actually fell during the month of July. Supply shortages might have been at fault for this. Hyundai Motor America apparently had trouble delivering enough Elantra, Sonata and Accent vehicles. Their supply of vehicles is the lowest of all the major brands. The 27-day inventory that Hyundai has on hand at any time is actually less than half of the average industry inventory levels.

While the company considers this to be a major challenge, relief is on the horizon. Shipments of the Santa Fe from the West Point, Georgia facility has increased supplies of that vehicle. It seems that the new supply chain has also helped out dealers who need more Elantra GT and Coupe models.

The Veloster Turbo is becoming extremely popular as well. Hyundai Motor America is promising better availability of that model, which could help to keep sales high. Since supply chain problems seem to be holding back the firm, Hyundai needs to be able to conquer them in order to ensure continued dominance when it comes to future sales figures.

Most people complain about automobile factories outsourcing jobs to foreign countries, but the state of Alabama has enjoyed a growth in the industry. Automobile production in that state has risen by 14 percent through the first five months of 2012. Industry is continuing to build on recovery that began in 2010. Cars made in Alabama continue to climb up in the sales charts. While news might look bleak across the industry, this is a good reason to put a little more faith in the market.

Talladega County is host to a major Honda assembly plant. That particular facility is responsible for much of the industry’s local growth. Honda suffered a major setback last year because of the tsunami in March 2011. Facilities around the world were forced to scale back their operations. Part shortages were the order of the day. However, the plant is running wide open for the time being.

Pilot SUV product grew by 28.4 percent, but this pales in comparison to the 44 percent growth that production of the Odyssey minivan has seen. The most shocking gains at the Alabama facility came from a niche vehicle. Production of the Ridgeline pickup has grown by 52.6 percent. Increased sales of these vehicles would help to protect the future of this vital American plant.

Plant officials in Lincoln said that it produces more than 1,300 motor vehicles a day. By 2013, the plant could churn out close to 1,500 a day. This news comes after Honda announced a 47.6 percent increase in US sales. Domestic drivers may very well want cars made in the USA.

There is a Mercedes-Benz factory in Tuscaloosa County, though it has suffered through some mixed production figures. While production of the GL-Class SUV is up, the R-Class crossover has fallen considerably. Likewise, Hyundai’s factory in Montgomery has seen mixed results. Nevertheless, production of the Sonata has seen some gains. Employees at the Hyundai facility have actually been working overtime for two years to keep pace with increased demand for the Elantra and Sonata.

Growth across the United States is around 25 percent. Canadian motor vehicle factories saw a 14 percent jump. These numbers are promising for many automakers, especially considering previous slumps in the industry. Even Mexican factories have been seeing increased figures. North American production volume for the rest of 2012 is expected to be rather robust. This is especially true if sales keep up.

Hyundai Motor Company recently announced that it will begin guaranteeing the value of future trade-ins of its vehicles as of May 1st. Similar programs have been seen in the past from Harley Davidson on a specific trade-in and GM’s program from a few years ago. Hyundai’s program is more encompassing by guaranteeing the value of the trade-in for their vehicles after the second full year of ownership to the fourth.

Measures must be followed by the consumer to stay compliant with the program and guarantee offered by Hyundai. The consumer will need to provide proof that all factory-recommended maintenance was performed on the vehicle at a Hyundai dealership up to the trade-in point. This will also double as an assist to dealerships to build their service and parts profits.

The program is titled “Hyundai Assurance Trade-in Value Guarantee”. Future values will be derived from residual values that are set by the Automotive Lease Guide. This program comes on the heels of the Hyundai Assurance program that ended in March. That promotion guaranteed that if a consumer lost their job they could return their Hyundai with no strings attached. The program was so successful that Ford and GM launched their own programs to mimic it.

The Hyundai Assurance Trade-in Value Guarantee was created to help combat the negative stigma attached to depreciation of a new automobile as it comes off the lot. The tough economic times that many people are experiencing are affecting buying decisions with these major purchases in a rather significant way that Hyundai hopes to address.

Hyundai CEO John Krafcik had the following to say in a released statement: “Depreciation is the single highest cost of car ownership. While Hyundai’s depreciation is now among the lowest in the industry, Assurance will remove many of the barriers and concerns about vehicle ownership.”

The move is also meant to give dealers a hand in retaining customers for service issues of their automobiles. Hyundai significantly trails competitors Ford, Toyota, and Honda in service shop retention. Hyundai’s United States sales boss cited trailing almost 30% in some areas of the country for gross profit and service behind competitors even though March’s sales were up 28% from last year.

Whether or not other competitors institute similar programs to attract new customers to their brand will likely hinge on the actual and projected success of the Hyundai Assurance Trade-in Value Guarantee.