USA - The FCA US Warren Truck Assembly Plant has been awarded bronze status for its efforts in implementing World Class Manufacturing

• Michigan truck plant becomes 20th North American facility to achieve bronze in World Class Manufacturing methodology
• Nearly 14 million award-winning trucks have rolled off the line since 1938
• Award recognizes progress toward becoming World Class

The FCA US Warren Truck Assembly Plant has been awarded bronze status for its efforts in implementing World Class Manufacturing (WCM). It becomes the 20th North American facility to reach the milestone award and brings to seven the number of plants that have been designated bronze in 2016.

The 78-year-old suburban Detroit truck plant 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. 24 and 25. 

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.

“Reaching bronze is a significant achievement as it confirms the workforce’s understanding of the WCM methodology and its dedication to implementing best practices that will make our facilities the best in the world,” said Brian Harlow, Vice President – Manufacturing, FCA North America. “At Warren Truck and across our global manufacturing footprint, our employees now have the tools and resources to eliminate waste by improving processes, increasing productivity, and improving quality and safety, while at the same time putting dignity into the workplace.

“Our Warren Truck workforce is to be commended for embracing WCM as a way of life,” said Harlow. “Together with the support and involvement of our UAW partners, we will ensure that the Company meets its long-term business goals and provides a secure future for all employees.”

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 three North American plants at a silver status, 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 Assembly (Ont.) awarded in March 2014; Dundee Engine (Mich.) recognized in May 2015; and Toledo Assembly Complex (Ohio) designated in May 2016.

In addition to Warren Truck, the 16 other facilities that currently hold the WCM bronze designation are:

• Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant (Mexico)
• Saltillo South Engine Plant (Mexico)
• Trenton Engine Complex (Mich.)
• Warren Stamping Plant (Mich.)
• Indiana Transmission Plant II (Kokomo, Ind.)
• Kokomo Transmission Plant (Ind.)
• Kokomo Casting Plant (Ind.)
• Toluca Assembly Plant (Mexico)
• Sterling Stamping Plant (Sterling Heights, Mich.)
• Brampton Assembly Plant (Ontario, Canada)
• Tipton Transmission Plant (Ind.)
• Belvidere Assembly Plant (Ill.)
• Saltillo Van (Mexico)
• Indiana Transmission Plant I (Kokomo, Ind.)
• Mack Avenue Engine (Detroit)
• Toledo Machining (Ohio)

FIAT Launches all new Saloon, the first in a new range for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

• Conceived from the outset as a three box sedan, it combines harmony and stylistic balance with a highly efficient use of space.
• Italian style and "made in Fiat" technology for a global vehicle, designed in Italy by the FCA Style Centre, developed together with Tofaş R&D in Turkey, and manufactured in the Tofaş plant in Bursa, one of the most innovative industrial sites in the world as proven by its Gold Medal awarded by World Class Manufacturing.
• Hence the name of the project - Fiat Ægea - pays tribute to Turkey, which has always played a strategic role for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and represents a symbolic bridge between East and West.
• On sale from November in Turkey, it will gradually reach over 40 countries of the EMEA region.

A global model for a global brand: Fiat presents its new Compact Sedan, designed in Italy at the FCA Style Centre, developed in Turkey together with Tofaş R&D and manufactured in the Bursa plant to be sold in over 40 countries of the EMEA area. 

Hence the name of the project - Fiat Ægea - which pays tribute to Turkey which has always played a strategic role for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and represents a symbolic bridge between East and West.

For its début, the brand has chosen the Istanbul Motor Show, thus reiterating the importance the Turkish market holds within FCA strategies and sealing the equal share joint venture first begun in 1968 between what was then the Fiat Group and Koç Holding.

It stands to reason that FCA should assign a primary role to this model with which it aims to increase its presence in the EMEA region, as well as reinforcing its unrivalled leadership in the Compact Sedan segment in Turkey, thanks to its excellent interior roominess and load capacity, a very complete range and a style that allows no compromises.

The new Fiat model comes into the world as a unique combination of comfort, efficiency and technology. With the added touch of the exclusive Italian design that delivers a quality project with the proportions of a pure and powerful sedan.

The car will be produced in Turkey in the Tofaş plant in Bursa - one of the best industrial automotive sites in the world as proven by the awarding of the Gold Medal according to the assessment of World Class Manufacturing - and sold at first in Turkey, from next November, and then gradually in the other countries of the EMEA region.

Italian style

Designed in Italy at the FCA Style Centre and developed together with Tofaş R&D, one of FCA's largest research and development centres, the Fiat Ægea project was conceived from the outset as a completely new three volume sedan, created by a team of over 2000 people, who worked on the project during its three year development period.

Often Sedan vehicles are a spin off of the hatchback with a third volume added, which can lead to overall shapes that are not always coherent. The new Fiat car, on the other hand, was "Born to be a Sedan" and therefore features a design project that integrates the various sections by means of natural flowing lines which create a real, uncompromised, vigorous compact sedan.

Seen from the side, a distinctive line runs from the headlights to the rear light clusters and the glazing creates a dynamic appearance conferring an idea of airiness and ample access spaces for driver and passengers. Exclusive Italian style is finely expressed in the rear where the harmoniously proportioned third box hosts bright light cluster surrounds. 

The front end is characterised by a captivatingly shapely bonnet with central ribbing stretching up to the roof to create a continuous line. Similarly, the grille is a single element with the light clusters. Intercalated chrome-effect accents which form an original, unmistakable graphic pattern on which the Fiat logo is proudly sported.

Top in class liveability and load capacity

A perfect marriage of beauty and function, the new Fiat Ægea project knowingly brings together great load capacity and compact dimensions of a sedan 4 and half metres long, 178 centimetres wide and 148 cm high with a wheelbase of 264 cm that heightens its excellent interior space. 

All this is confirmed by the very appreciable size of the passenger compartment, large enough to seat 5 well built passengers comfortably with a load capacity of over 510 litres.

Reliable and fuel-efficient engines

The new Fiat car offers a wide range of power units, all reliable, high performing and economical in terms of fuel consumption and emissions - two Multijet II turbodiesel engines and two petrol ones, with manual or automatic transmission - with power ratings of between 95 and 120 HP.

It is also worth noting that the diesel engines are particularly fuel-efficient: less than 4 litres of diesel fuel for 100 km, comparable to that of a city car like Fiat Panda.

Uconnect ^TM: state-of-the-art technology

In the true Fiat style, the new sedan is provided with a number of ingenious solutions that improve the life of both the driver and the passengers. The proof of this lies in the many standard features and the availability of the Uconnect ^TM system equipped with a 5" colour touch screen, a hands-free Bluetooth system, audio streaming, text reader and voice recognition, AUX and USB ports with iPod integration, steering wheel controls and, on request, a rear parking camera and TomTom sat nav.

Tofaş, a world famous manufacturing centre

The new Fiat Compact Sedan will see the light at the Bursa site where for the past half century Fiat has been building its cars and commercial Fiat Professional vehicles. 

Stretching over a surface area of 934,000 square metres and with an annual production capacity of 400,000 units, the plant currently produces vehicles for the Turkish market and large volume Fiat models for export: these include the Linea, the Qubo, the New Doblò, the Fiorino and the Doblò Cargo.

The Tofaş company employs as many as 6,500 staff, has about 2,000 supplier companies and a distribution network that boasts about 120 sales outlets and 140 service centres in Turkey. 

A paragon of excellence therefore, that is currently the sixth largest company in the country and one of the first three companies in Turkey in terms of its investments in research and development, besides being one of the market leaders with an 11.6% share of the car and commercial vehicle market.

USA - Dundee engine plant becomes first US facility to achieve Silver status, in World Class Manufacturing.

The FCA US Dundee Engine Plant (Mich.) has been awarded silver status for its results in implementing World Class Manufacturing (WCM), becoming the first U.S. facility and the only North American engine plant to receive this designation.

The plant received the silver designation, just over five years after adopting the WCM operating system, following a two-day audit May 12-13, 2015. 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.

 

The silver award makes Dundee the second-highest ranked of the Company’s North American manufacturing facilities after the Windsor Assembly Plant (Ont.), which received silver in March 2014. Dundee was the first facility to earn bronze, the first WCM award level, in April 2012.

“Dundee Engine Plant employees were early adopters of the WCM methodology and their commitment to furthering its implementation now has resulted in a silver designation,” said Brian Harlow, Vice President – Manufacturing, FCA North America. “They clearly demonstrated a deeper understanding of the methodology and embraced the opportunity to showcase their significant progress during the audit.”

 

“World Class Manufacturing has been critical to our success over the past six years and we couldn’t have done it without the support and commitment of our UAW partners,” said Harlow. “It is because of the active involvement and participation of our hourly employees that we are on a path to making our manufacturing facilities among the best in the world.”

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.

 

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 FCA – the Head of Manufacturing Planning Control and Powertrain Operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the Plant Manager of VM Motori in Italy – performed the audits.

 

In addition to the two silver plants, there are currently seven facilities that hold the WCM bronze designation. They are Toledo Assembly Complex (Ohio), Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant (Mex.), Trenton Engine Complex (Mich.), Warren Stamping (Mich.), Indiana Transmission Plant II (Ind.), Kokomo Transmission Plant (Ind.) and Toluca Assembly Plant (Mex.).

 

About the Dundee Engine Plant

The Dundee Engine Plant, formerly the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA), was established as a joint venture between Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Hyundai Motor Company and DaimlerChrysler Corporation in 2003. Production was launched on the north side of the plant in October 2005, followed by production on the south side in November 2006. The plant currently employs over 700.

Since 2009, more than $380 million has been invested for production of new fuel-efficient engines, including:

• 1.4-liter, 16-valve Fully Integrated Robotized Engine (FIRE) with MultiAir® technology
• 1.4-liter, 16-valve FIRE Turbocharged with MultiAir® technology
• 2.0- and 2.4-liter I-4 naturally aspirated engines
• 2.0-liter I-4 Tigershark Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) 2.4-liter I-4 Tigershark Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)