G.M. Plant Histories

[Hank H.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

Thanks for the photos and articles. Having worked at 3 of these locations, plus several others, they bring back memories of a different time!

[John H.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

Alan, Great link....thanks for sharing.....Rich

p.s. This photo was amazing. I would think no fluids were installed before shipment on these Vegas, especially not brake fluid!

Richard -

I developed the assembly process layout for the plant, managed the plant conversion from 60 per hour Impala/Caprice to 100 per hour Vega, and was the Trim/Chassis/Final Production Superintendent.

The Vega had all its fluids full when shipped, whether by conventional truck, conventional tri-level rail, or by the Vert-A-Pac method (only used for cars headed west from the plant) shown in the photo.

Everything containing a liquid was designed and vented so liquids remained below any openings whether the car was horizontal or hanging nose-down; the special battery was a good example (see photo below). Vert-A-Pac shipping was quite successful, and virtually eliminated in-transit damage.

The louvers in the hatch lid were part of the ventilation system, as they were on all 1971 GM cars.

[Chris E.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

Wow, that link shows a really sad lineup of closed plants. Does GM manufacturing have ANY U.S. plants left???

[Tom R.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

I spent 33 years working in plants just like those pictured. Four different plants and four different divisions. Two sold to other company's, one bulldozed, and one soon to be closed. Stephen Barrett (21558) 59,66,71,73

Stephen

You might find this of interest since you have a 73 and a 71. I've been hanging out over at the Chevelle forum since learning that 73-82 buildsheets reflect GMADs takeover of Chevrolet assembly plants in the 72-73 period. Corvette 73-82 buildsheets are not unlike Chevelle buildsheets from 65-72 operated by GMAD. This happened to all Chevelle plants in 1970 (Except Fremont). John Hinckley sent me down this path in a discussion we've had about the use of the data sets on the landscape style buildsheet.

So what is GMAD? Apparently, it seems like it was(is) an automotive plant management group, centralizing assembly practices maintaining standard practices from plant to plant. Looks like Buick came under GMAD early on and by 1970, Chevelle plants and early 1970's all other Chevrolet plants like St Louis Corvette plant. I think what I'm trying to understand is issues of ownership. Chevrolet managed Chevrolet plants because Chevrolet was still independent of GM. Than GM tookover plants and ownership shifted to GM owners. I guess I would have assumed Chevrolet was owned and managed by GM but than what's this entity GMAD?

Anything else about GMAD?

[Chris H.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

Seriously? There are ~56 GM plants in the US.

http://www.ehow.com/list_7424018_list-general-motors-plants.html

Link below shows world wide plants. they have plants in 157 countries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_General_Motors_factories

[Hank H.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

Tom, BOP Division operated several assembly plants during late 60's. The Doraville plant, where I began my GM career was one of these. In these plants, there was one plant management team. At the same time at a number of other plants, ie Lakewood, Willow Run, etc, etc, Fisher body operated the body build, paint, and interior assembly, while Chevrolet operated the Chassis and final portion of the assembly process. There were two management teams, including two plant managers, reporting to two different divisions. There were even walls separating the two sections of the plant. As you might imagine, there was constant finger pointing over who owned what problem when quality issues were identified near the end of the process. GMAD was created as an organizational change to transfer control of assembly plants to one management team, and BOP as well as Fisher/Chevrolet assembly operations were absorbed into this new division. This took place over a number of years in the early 70s with great difficulty as management teams and unions had to be consolidated. The result, and original intention was for better standardization as previously mentioned by another poster. When I worked at the Willow Run plant in early 80s, although the wall was gone, old emotions still ran high. As I recall, for some additional period of time, Cadillac plants, remained under it's divisional management as did a large Pontiac complex in Pontiac, MI. As newer plants were built, and old ones closed, GMAD gained in size and operational efficiencies. In the early 80s, GM in its infinite wisdom decided to once again reorganize and assembly, engineering, and other support operations were split into BOC (buick, olds and cadillac, and CPC (Chevrolet, Pontiac, GM Canada). After a few years this proved to be a disaster as contacts and networking built up over many years was essentially destroyed and the two new divisions became highly competitive at the expense of the good of the Corporation. Finally, cooler heads and practical minds prevailed and assembly operations were placed back under one management team which, while undergoing, additonal name changes over the years, more resembled the GMAD approach of the past. Common practices, assembly equipment, measurement systems, etc, etc, began to show much more positive results, even though as we all know now, other cost factors as well as declining sales, economy, and vehicle design all were too much to overcome. In defense of the assembly plants however, at the time of bankruptcy, GM had several of the most efficient in the world. I had the pleasure to work in and manage some of these plants as the GM global manufacturing system (GMS) matured and brought an impressive team approach to quality, people, and other manufacturing systems.

[Stephen B.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

Hank
Thank you for your insightfully explanation.Thank you for the positive comments about GM. I spent a lifetime working for GM and many times take personally the many misrepresentations by the so called news media.
The GM of today is not the GM of yesteryear.Let me remind those that would listen very few news men have ever even walked thru a GM plant much less worked in that enviornment.
Thank You
Stephen Barrett (21558) 59,66,71,73

[Tom R.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

Tom, BOP Division operated several assembly plants during late 60's. The Doraville plant, where I began my GM career was one of these. In these plants, there was one plant management team. At the same time at a number of other plants, ie Lakewood, Willow Run, etc, etc, Fisher body operated the body build, paint, and interior assembly, while Chevrolet operated the Chassis and final portion of the assembly process. There were two management teams, including two plant managers, reporting to two different divisions. There were even walls separating the two sections of the plant. As you might imagine, there was constant finger pointing over who owned what problem when quality issues were identified near the end of the process.

GMAD was created as an organizational change to transfer control of assembly plants to one management team, and BOP as well as Fisher/Chevrolet assembly operations were absorbed into this new division. This took place over a number of years in the early 70s with great difficulty as management teams and unions had to be consolidated. The result, and original intention was for better standardization as previously mentioned by another poster. When I worked at the Willow Run plant in early 80s, although the wall was gone, old emotions still ran high. As I recall, for some additional period of time, Cadillac plants, remained under it's divisional management as did a large Pontiac complex in Pontiac, MI. As newer plants were built, and old ones closed, GMAD gained in size and operational efficiencies.

In the early 80s, GM in its infinite wisdom decided to once again reorganize and assembly, engineering, and other support operations were split into BOC (buick, olds and cadillac, and CPC (Chevrolet, Pontiac, GM Canada). After a few years this proved to be a disaster as contacts and networking built up over many years was essentially destroyed and the two new divisions became highly competitive at the expense of the good of the Corporation. Finally, cooler heads and practical minds prevailed and assembly operations were placed back under one management team which, while undergoing, additonal name changes over the years, more resembled the GMAD approach of the past. Common practices, assembly equipment, measurement systems, etc, etc, began to show much more positive results, even though as we all know now, other cost factors as well as declining sales, economy, and vehicle design all were too much to overcome.

In defense of the assembly plants however, at the time of bankruptcy, GM had several of the most efficient in the world. I had the pleasure to work in and manage some of these plants as the GM global manufacturing system (GMS) matured and brought an impressive team approach to quality, people, and other manufacturing systems.

Thanks Hank...a few followups...

BOP Division (Buick operating division)

BOC?

GM got tired of the bickering? And created GMAD?

Quite insightful

[Terry M.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

Thanks Hank...a few followups...

BOP Division (Buick operating division)

BOC?

GM got tired of the bickering? And created GMAD?

Quite insightful

BOP = Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac

BOC based on Hank's post is Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac. Apparently the divisions were consolidated in different ways at different times. Sounds to me (looking from the outside) as only the beginning of the "Who do I work for today" syndrome that is so common in business today.

[Stephen B.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

BOP = Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac

BOC based on Hank's post is Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac. Apparently the divisions were consolidated in different ways at different times. Sounds to me (looking from the outside) as only the beginning of the "Who do I work for today" syndrome that is so common in business today.

Terry
CPC = Chevrolet Pontiac of Canada
BOC= Buick Oldsmobile Cadillac
We at GM translated these symbols differently.
CPC= Cute Puny Cars
BOC= Big Old Cars
In my opinion one of the most short sited things GM ever did was eliminate one of the most recognizable logos in the world,the Napoleonic Coach associated with Fisher Body.That logo stood for quality, and prestige. From time I was a small child I recognized that logo as I claimed into my dads 55 Chevy.
Stephen Barrett (21558) 59,66,71,73

[John H.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

So what is GMAD? Apparently, it seems like it was(is) an automotive plant management group, centralizing assembly practices maintaining standard practices from plant to plant. Looks like Buick came under GMAD early on and by 1970, Chevelle plants and early 1970's all other Chevrolet plants like St Louis Corvette plant. I think what I'm trying to understand is issues of ownership. Chevrolet managed Chevrolet plants because Chevrolet was still independent of GM. Than GM tookover plants and ownership shifted to GM owners. I guess I would have assumed Chevrolet was owned and managed by GM but than what's this entity GMAD?

Anything else about GMAD?

Tom -

Click on the attached Word file for everything you ever wanted to know about GMAD (GM Assembly Division); it'll be part of Chapter 4 in my book.

[Ronald L.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

BOC and CPC were the Roger Smith era of reorganization, the beginning of the end of the stand alone divisions. It was during this time the divisions lost their individual identities and all the cars began to look the same.

Stephen, those Body By Fisher labels went on quite a while, I remember them into the early 70's, but do not recall them on 80 and later cars.

That breifly mentioned Pontiac complex was incredible and while I'd guess smaller that Chevrolet Flint, there were 55 plants, foundry, axles, gears, engines, stamping, plating, heat treating, plastic injection, paint and flow coating, and some I probably have forgotten. Car assembly was just one plant (#8) with the bodies following a mile long tunnel from the Baldwin road Fisher Body Plant.

[Joe L.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

Richard -

I developed the assembly process layout for the plant, managed the plant conversion from 60 per hour Impala/Caprice to 100 per hour Vega, and was the Trim/Chassis/Final Production Superintendent.

The Vega had all its fluids full when shipped, whether by conventional truck, conventional tri-level rail, or by the Vert-A-Pac method (only used for cars headed west from the plant) shown in the photo.

Everything containing a liquid was designed and vented so liquids remained below any openings whether the car was horizontal or hanging nose-down; the special battery was a good example (see photo below). Vert-A-Pac shipping was quite successful, and virtually eliminated in-transit damage.

The louvers in the hatch lid were part of the ventilation system, as they were on all 1971 GM cars.

John------


Pity the poor Vega restorer looking for a reproduction or, perish the thought, original NOS example of this battery.

[John H.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

John------


Pity the poor Vega restorer looking for a reproduction or, perish the thought, original NOS example of this battery.

Joe -

The engine also had a (solid) pan baffle separate from the oil pan, which kept oil in the sump away from the crank front seal while the car was vertical. There were lots of clever little details like that which kept fluids where they belonged during Vert-A-Pac rail shipment.

[Joe L.]

Re: G.M. Plant Histories

Joe -

The engine also had a (solid) pan baffle separate from the oil pan, which kept oil in the sump away from the crank front seal while the car was vertical. There were lots of clever little details like that which kept fluids where they belonged during Vert-A-Pac rail shipment.

John-----



GM #334036, I think.