Brazilian Ford Plant

[GeneW]

Located in Northern Brazil. Highly automated, very flexible. One of the amazing innovations is that Ford has their vendors do assembly of their contracted subassemblies right in the plant itself. They're fed directly to the lines on a JIT basis.

This helps reduce vendor costs because the value added labor is done close to the line, reducing the "cycle time".

http://info.detnews.com/video/index.cfm?id=1189

I don't know if Toyota does this or whether they just keep the vendor's operations "close by".

Gene

[Bob_VT]

What? There was no place around in the USA for this?

This is a quote from Brazil"......according to the state's senator and former governor, César Borges. He estimates that some 50,000 jobs have been created in the area because of the Ford plant and says the state's GDP has almost doubled since it opened......." http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs...708220407/1148

I wonder how much money Brazil pitched in to the 700 billion bailout plan?

From another point of view..... let the automaker fail and let all of the out of work employees go to work in Brazil!

Nice plant but it just pisses me off.

[SIPNGAS]

Brazil has a law that any product sold there, MUST be assembled there. My company contracts with a well-known motorcycle company. They recently won the rights to sell expensive motorcycles there. We package entire bikes all in pieces in crates, they're shipped to Brazil and in some "factory" in the northern area they are assembled by a small team of guys. It's the only way any foreign company is allowed to sell their product in the country. Pretty smart on Brazil's part, if you ask me.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by SIPNGAS

Brazil has a law that any product sold there, MUST be assembled there.

My employer has to roll the same way down there. It cuts both ways. Brazil gets manufacturing jobs. The Brazilian people get hosed because anything that cannot or is not made there can't be imported down there. So the average Brazilian gets a lower standard of living because of this import restriction.

FWIW, the Brazilians I've met do good work. They're motivated, sincere and willing to learn. At least the ones who come up here. The ones at home, especially in the Government, I've never met them.

Gene

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by Bob_VT

What? There was no place around in the USA for this?

Hyundai has a very very technologically advanced factory in the Southern US. I think in Texas. A "right to work" state. Hyundai doesn't have to answer to the UAW, the US Congress or anyone else.

Ford is at the mercy of the UAW. If they build in a right to work state they have to cope with angry UAW members, who vote, and who can lobby Congress.

The part that really gets me angry is that the UAW COULD play nice with automation and educating workers to cope with it. Some Unions conduct their own manufacturing training, or so I've been told. The UAW could preserve jobs but they're greedy for Union dues. Unions are a business too.

Gene