AUBURN HILLS, Mich.,
March 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
- Ranking rewards improvements in safety, quality and
productivity
- WCM implementation saves Company more than $1 billion since June
2009
Chrysler Group LLC's Windsor
(Ont.) Assembly Plant has been awarded silver status for its
results in implementing World Class Manufacturing (WCM), the
highest ranking of any of the Company's North American
manufacturing facilities.
The plant received the silver designation just over four years
after adopting the WCM operating system following a three-day audit
March 26-28, 2014. Silver is awarded
after earning a minimum of 60 points in 10 technical and 10
managerial pillars by demonstrating clear WCM know-how and
competence through employee-conducted pillar presentations and a
review of projects that have been expanded across the shop
floor.
"Accomplishing silver is a significant achievement as it
demonstrates a deeper understanding of the WCM methodology," said
Mauro Pino, Vice President and Head
of Manufacturing/WCM, Chrysler Group LLC. "We couldn't be more
proud of our Windsor employees who
embraced the opportunity to lead the way for our other
facilities.
"Together with our Unifor partners, the Windsor plant is showing its commitment to
making our manufacturing facilities among the best in the world,"
said Pino.
World Class Manufacturing is a methodology that focuses on
reducing waste, increasing productivity, and improving quality and
safety in a systematic and organized way. WCM engages the workforce
to provide and implement suggestions on how to improve their jobs
and their plants.
WCM was first implemented by Fiat in 2006 and introduced to
Chrysler Group as part of the alliance between the two companies in
June 2009. Since that time, the
Company has saved more than $1
billion in controllable manufacturing costs as a result of
the implementation of WCM.
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 100 would indicate World Class.
Two WCM certified auditors from Fiat – the Head of WCM and the
Head of Manufacturing Planning Control for Europe, the Middle
East and Africa – performed
the audits. One of the auditors previously served as the Plant
Manager of Fiat's gold Bielsko-Biala plant in Poland.
Windsor earned the first WCM
award level, a bronze designation, in April
2012. Three other facilities currently hold bronze status –
Dundee Engine Plant (Mich.), Toledo Assembly Complex (Ohio) and Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant
(Mex.).
The Windsor Assembly Plant, built in 1928, is home to the
award-winning Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan
minivans. The plant runs three shifts with nearly 4,700 employees.
In 2013, the plant celebrated 30 years of minivan leadership.
SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC