Magna poised to snap up jewels in distressed North American supplier industry

Soon to be North America's No. 1, the Canadian giant makes overtures to unions it has long shunned

Magna International, which is on the verge of becoming North America's largest supplier, is positioning itself to swiftly build on the momentum by acquiring key plants and buying into new lines of business. The jumble of plants and businesses up for grabs in North America  -- the result of widespread Chapter 11 filings and efforts by suppliers such as Visteon to redefine its core operations -- is creating a giant opportunity for what is a hugely opportunistic company.