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[Keats]

The winds of change....

http://m.ydr.com/yorkdaily/db_32173/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=MI5gL0Yi&full=true#display



Winds of change bear down on Harley-Davidson plants in York, others
By RICK BARRETT
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Posted:  04/14/2012 7:27 PM
  

For a look at what's to come for Harley-Davidson Inc., the best place to start is the company's largest motorcycle factory, where change has been described as "leaning into a hurricane."

Where 41 buildings once stood on 232 acres, there's now an enormous vacant lot.

Gone are about half of the 2,300 jobs that, for decades, supported families in this blue-collar town.

The old buildings, some of them dating back to World War II, were demolished as Harley-Davidson wiped the slate clean and developed a new manufacturing system that's the template for changes coming to Harley plants in Wisconsin and Kansas City, Mo.

"It's like Cortez burning the ships when he reached the New World. There's no going back to what this factory used to represent," said York general manager Ed Magee, who once managed the now-closed Capitol Drive plant in Milwaukee.

[red ben59]

Damn, I guess I'm going to get chrome that last's more than a couple year's before it starts peeling and blistering, hoping for outsourceing (yea whatever) quality on the way out. JMHO

[dlaws01]

There comes a point where quality can only go in one direction.  Let's hope it for the better.

[cvobiker]

There comes a point where quality can only go in one direction.  Let's hope it for the better.

. 

That's a good direction.   

[grc]

What they are doing is nothing new, the auto companies have been doing it for at least a decade or more in this country and Toyota has been doing it much longer than that.  It's called lean manufacturing, among other things, and the idea is to reduce waste and improve efficiency.  If it's done properly and with the participation and input of the workforce, it can be a very good thing.  If it's just force fed to the workforce and used to justify firing a lot of workers and cutting pay and benefits, like it appears Harley did, it's a good way to ruin employee morale and negatively affect quality and productivity.  I think we've seen that quality affect for the past few years.  And another thing I learned in the auto end of the business was, when a company treats it's employee's like crap, they often treat customers the same way.  Seems to fit right in with much of what we read on this site, doesn't it?

Anyway, with all this massive increase in productivity and reduction in waste, I guess we can expect prices to start dropping any day now. 


Jerry

[charles05663]

Anyway, with all this massive increase in productivity and reduction in waste, I guess we can expect prices to start dropping any day now. 

Or big bonuses for the executives!        

[tazmun]

Or big bonuses for the executives!        

You get the big "at a boy"!!!!!! That's all it's about these days!

Milwaukee (Menomonee Falls) and Tomahawk will be next.

I've heard they have all ready started there too!

[mark]

I just returned from York and toured the plant while I was there.  What I found odd (with the new plant vs. the old) is there is one assembly line for all the bikes manufactured there.  Its not like they produce CVO SGs on Tuesday, Fatboys on Wed, etc.  As the bikes come down the assembly line, there my be an Ultra destined for California, followed by a Road King, followed by Softail, etc.  I know HD knows more than I do about manufacturing, but it just seemed strange to co-mingle the building of different models.       

[DDavidson]

Based on how well I like my bike I'm going to give Harley the benefit of the doubt.

People were doubtful when the automotive industry made changes like this but somehow we've ended up with cleaner air, cleaner water, safer vehicles, better performing vehicles and autos that are lasting on average 10 years. (And almost 100% recyclable!)

My Suburban is 10 years old with 100K miles and no reason why it won't go another 100K with proper maintenance. They didn't last like this in the 60's and 70's. (They would decay. Rust, UV rotting the interior, metal fatigue, paint fading)

I try to take care of my bike and I'm never short of getting good compliments on it from non-riders and riders alike. People often ask me if it's new. That's a good compliment to Harley Davidson. I have a blast riding it. Another good compliment to Harley Davidson.

44,000 miles in two years with no problems is a good compliment to Harley Davidson who built it and to Jim at Metal Dragon who does the maintenance and modifications.

I understand and listen to peoples concerns and comments. I'm not to say which are or aren't justified.  But I think we will still be proud years after we stop riding when we see a new generation of riders exploring their souls atop a Harley Davidson just as we've been doing.

I think we should be worried if Harley Davidson doesn't make changes trying to insure the future of the company.
(Many changes will be driven by a new generation of marketing. Marketing drives all businesses.  That's why our future will have better powered chairs to get us around and better absorbancy in case we don't get around fast enough.   )

[grc]

.................................................................

I think we should be worried if Harley Davidson doesn't make changes trying to insure the future of the company.
.................................................................

I agree 100%.  No company can be static and complacent forever and still survive.  But there is more than one way to institute change, and choosing the most confrontational method isn't what I would recommend.  Harley management made all the decisions that ultimately screwed the pooch, not the guys on the assembly line.  Harley management agreed to all the work rules and wage scales and benefits in those union contracts.  They also took advantage of every loophole and goody they could squeeze out of the local communities and states for a lot of years.  When the time came to ask for sacrifice to help redefine the company, they chose the confrontational method including extortion of the local and state taxpayers as well as the unionized workforce.  While this was going on certain executives received huge bonuses and perks as if nothing had changed.  As is the case in most corporations these days, sacrifice is something to be forced on the little guys, and not something to be equally shared at all levels.


Jerry

[faceracer]

A work force can only get so lean before everone is working all the time and having a decrease in moral, family time and ultimately the quality of the job they are doing. I am living that now. In a city doing field service with 5 guys and they expect us to run 24-7 and have no regard for any personal life or health. We are all burned out and running on low energy and basically go around putting out fires but never fix anything so we run in circle constantly. Our city has doubled customer base in the last 2 years without hiring any additional techs! The customers are seeing it and our management is turning their backs on everyone including pissed off customers that have a $2mil. a year account! All the while they get their bonuses!!!! OK rant over! I hope this is not Harley's future!   FACE

[mrbhd]

Faceracer, I share your Pain.  This seems to be the future.  Sorry to say.  I worry about my kids and My health.  Really!!!!

[tazmun]

Face, I understand your pain. I have a suggestion, like it or not!!!!  Take the techs you have, and start your own
company. Harley employees may be mad hurt or disappointed, but if you've seen how SLOW the assembly
line was in the past... changes had to be made! I don't want to see anyone lose their job, but improvements
in the line had to be made. I think laying off people and bringing them back as temporary employees is JUST
WRONG!@!!! The temporary people will not care about the quality. Give ALL the employees the same wage,
make them work a little harder................. better bikes, happier employees!!!!

Just my 2 cents!!!!

Taz

[faceracer]

Hey Taz, My company just settled a huge law suit against a company that was servicing our machines. I had to ex coworkers that went there and once the law suit was settled they were both fired! There is some patended and copy righted software you need to work on the machines. So starting our own company is not an option. however I have been job shopping and have some good leads. I plan on getting out before I loose my mind. I also want to work less and ride more at 51. We will see....

Face

[SE-5]

An interesting Lean process documentary is on Ultimate Factories the F-150 episode.  Talk about co-mingling units but WOW, impressive! Worth an hour to watch.  Lean use to be a buzz word, now it's beyond reality and evolving even more, good ~ bad whatever ~ it is the way of the world.