AUBURN HILLS, Mich.,
Oct. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --
- Michigan truck plant becomes
24th North American facility to achieve bronze in World Class
Manufacturing methodology
- Plant launched production of all-new Ram 1500 truck in
2018
- Award recognizes progress toward becoming World Class
The FCA Sterling Heights Assembly Plant has been awarded
bronze status for its efforts in implementing World Class
Manufacturing (WCM), the Company's manufacturing methodology. It
becomes the 24th North American facility to reach the milestone
award.
The suburban Detroit truck
plant, which launched production of the all-new Ram 1500 in 2018,
earned bronze after receiving a minimum of 50 points in 10
technical and 10 managerial pillars following a two-day independent
audit held on Oct. 16 and 17. The
plant demonstrated clear WCM know-how and competence through
employee-conducted pillar presentations and a review of projects
implemented across the shop floor. The designation recognizes the
long-term commitment of a workforce to making significant changes
that can secure the future of a facility.
"The path to achieving this award has been full of twists and
turns for the Sterling Heights
workforce, but through it all, they have persevered and
demonstrated a commitment to ensuring their future through the
implementation of WCM," Jorge Lares,
Head of Manufacturing, FCA North America, said. "Reaching bronze
confirms their understanding of the WCM methodology and their
dedication to implementing best practices that improve the overall
quality and safety in the plant. Our Sterling Heights workforce is to be commended
for embracing WCM as a way of life."
WCM, first implemented by Fiat in 2006 and introduced to
Chrysler Group as part of the alliance between the two companies in
June 2009, is a methodology that
engages the employees to provide and implement suggestions on
how to improve their jobs and their plants, promoting a strong
sense of ownership. Plants awarded for their efforts also have a
role in accelerating the implementation of WCM throughout the
organization as coaches and mentors.
During an audit, zero to five points are awarded for each of the
10 technical pillars, which include safety, workplace organization,
logistics and the environment, and for each of the 10 managerial
pillars, such as management commitment, clarity of objectives,
allocation of people, motivation of operators and commitment of the
organization. A score of 85 would indicate World Class.
Currently, there are 10 North American plants that hold a silver
designation, having been elevated from bronze after receiving a
minimum of 60 points during an audit. Silver is awarded to plants
that have taken a preventative approach to implementing the WCM
methodology throughout the facility. The silver plants are:
- Windsor (Ontario) Assembly Plant
- Dundee (Michigan) Engine Plant
- Toledo (Ohio) Assembly Complex
- Saltillo (Mexico) South Engine Plant
- Mack Avenue (Detroit) Engine
Plant
- Saltillo (Mexico) Van Assembly Plant
- Warren (Michigan)
Stamping
- Toledo (Ohio) Machining
- Sterling Stamping (Sterling Heights,
Michigan)
- Tipton (Indiana) Transmission Plant
In addition to Sterling
Heights, there are 13 other facilities that hold the WCM
bronze designation:
- Saltillo (Mexico) Truck Assembly
- Toluca (Mexico) Assembly
- Trenton (Michigan) Engine Complex
- Brampton (Ontario) Assembly
- Indiana Transmission Plant II (Kokomo, Indiana)
- Belvidere (Illinois)
Assembly
- Kokomo (Indiana) Transmission Plant
- Indiana Transmission Plant I (Kokomo,
Indiana)
- Kokomo (Indiana) Casting
- Warren (Michigan) Truck
Assembly
- Jefferson North (Detroit) Assembly Plant
- CPK Interiors, Port Hope
(Ontario)
- Etobicoke (Ontario) Casting
About the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant
The Sterling Heights Assembly Plant was built in 1953 as a jet
engine plant and was operated by the Army as the Michigan Ordinance
Missile Plant with Chrysler serving as contractor, building
Redstone and Jupiter missiles. It was converted to an automobile
plant in 1980 by Volkswagen and purchased by Chrysler Corporation
in 1983.
In June 2009, the Company
announced that the plant would close at the end of 2010, however
production was extended through 2012.
Then in July 2010, FCA announced
that SHAP would remain open indefinitely and add a second shift of
production. Five months later, an $850
million investment was announced to construct an all-new,
state-of-the-art paint shop, as well as install new machinery,
tooling and material-handling equipment to produce the Chrysler
200. Nearly a year later, the plant received another $165 million investment to add a new body shop.
The 200 launched in March 2014, but
by 2016, market demand was shifting away from cars to utility
vehicles and the plant returned to a one shift operation in
July 2016. The last 200 rolled off
the line on Dec. 2, 2016.
On July 26, 2016, FCA announced that it would
invest $1.48 billion to retool the
plant to build the next generation Ram 1500 and support the future
growth of the Ram brand. Two months later, the Company confirmed
that it would create 700 new jobs to support production of the new
truck, which officially launched in March 2018.
The plant's new body shop received LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design) Gold Green Building System certification
in July 2015 for meeting the highest
environmental standards.
Sterling Heights employs nearly
7,800 people working a 3-2-120 operating pattern – three crews
working four 10-hour days on two shifts for 120 production hours
per week.
About FCA
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is a global automaker that designs,
engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles in a portfolio of
exciting brands, including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge,
Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep®, Lancia, Ram and Maserati.
It also sells parts and services under the Mopar name and operates
in the components and production systems sectors under the Comau
and Teksid brands. FCA employs nearly 200,000 people around
the globe. For more information regarding FCA, please
visit www.fcagroup.com.
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