Tag Archives: cars

Looking at Auto Manaufacturing in the USA

America’s Dirty War Against Manufacturing Bob Lutz, the former head of GM, says it was neither uncompetitive wages nor unions that drove the Big Three into decline. It was a management with its eye focused on the bottom line and … Continue reading

Posted in Deming, Economics, Manufacturing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Penske to Buy Saturn from GM

Penske to Buy Saturn from GM “When Saturn launched in the 1980s, it was the new, new thing, with the best dealer service and no-haggle pricing that put customers at ease,” said independent marketing consultant Dennis Keene. “But in recent … Continue reading

Posted in Management, Manufacturing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

NUMMI, and GM’s Failure to Manage Effectively

Gipsie Ranney recently sent me an article on her thoughts on NUMMI and the current problems with the Big Three car makers to post to the Curious Cat Management Improvement Library. NUMMI is the plant that Toyota and General Motors … Continue reading

Posted in Deming, Lean thinking, Management, Management Articles, Manufacturing, quote, Respect, Systems thinking, Toyota Production System (TPS) | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Failure: Honda’s Secret to Success

Related: Honda has Never had Layoffs and has been Profitable Every Year – Inside Honda’s Brain – Curious Cat Engineering Blog

Posted in Creativity, webcast | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Big Failed Three, Meet the Successful Eight

Big Three, Meet the “Little Eight” The 1,300-acre plant, in which Toyota has invested $5.3 billion, produces a car roughly every minute. Georgetown’s population has doubled. In fields where farmers once grew tobacco and raised cattle, McMansions, apartment complexes, and … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Manufacturing | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Honda has Never had Layoffs and has been Profitable Every Year

Engineers Rule, 2006 Longtime auto analyst John Casesa, who now runs a consulting company, says, “There’s not a company on earth that better understands the culture of engineering.” The strategy has worked thus far. Honda has never had an unprofitable … Continue reading

Posted in Deming, Lean thinking, Management, Respect | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Invest in New Management Methods Not a Failing Company, 1986

Invest in New Management Methods Not a Failing Company by William Hunter, 1986 I predict American Motors will stop making cars in Wisconsin in the near future, whether or not the state’s money is used for a temporary propping-up operation. … Continue reading

Posted in Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Invest in New Management Methods Not a Failing Company, 1986

Ford’s Camaçari Plant in Brazil

Brazil’s Camaçari plant is model for the future This state-of-the-art manufacturing complex in the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia is not only the centerpiece of Ford’s Brazilian turnaround plan, it is also one of the most advanced automobile plants in … Continue reading

Posted in Innovation, Manufacturing, Respect, webcast | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Outsourcing To America

Outsourcing To America [the broken link was removed] Toyota began operating in North America in the mid-1980s. It currently operates seven automotive plants there, four of which are in the U.S. A fifth plant is under production in Mississippi. Toyota … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Lean thinking, Management Articles, Manufacturing, Toyota Production System (TPS) | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Outsourcing To America

Deming Auto Repair

Here is an interesting example of an auto repair shop applying Deming’s ideas, AGCO Automotive in Baton Rouge, Louisiana: In this section we hope to present our business philosophy, through a series of articles written by president Louis Altazan. Our … Continue reading

Posted in Deming, Management, Systems thinking | Tagged , | 8 Comments