Plant re-opens 6 Nov
10-17-2017, 02:30 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Plant re-opens 6 Nov
http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/gear...f2734cdb6.html
“The paint shop is now complete and has been designed specifically to optimize the performance of carbon fiber and other materials that are used in the Corvette body panels,” said Langille. “As a result, customers can expect to see an improved paint appearance and finish. In addition, the paint shop is equipped with the latest advanced environmental controls to minimize our ecological footprint.”
In addition to the paint shop, Langille said other changes have been made to the plant.
“During the shutdown, we made significant changes to the build process to enhance ergonomics for the operator and to improve vehicle quality,” she said. “For example, panels will be installed near the end of the build process in one location, as opposed to several locations throughout the process.”
Workers will be assembling 2018 Corvettes when the plant reopens and continue doing so through the week of Jan. 22, 2018. They will then shift gears and start manufacturing the 2019 model of the iconic sports car Jan. 29."
“The paint shop is now complete and has been designed specifically to optimize the performance of carbon fiber and other materials that are used in the Corvette body panels,” said Langille. “As a result, customers can expect to see an improved paint appearance and finish. In addition, the paint shop is equipped with the latest advanced environmental controls to minimize our ecological footprint.”
In addition to the paint shop, Langille said other changes have been made to the plant.
“During the shutdown, we made significant changes to the build process to enhance ergonomics for the operator and to improve vehicle quality,” she said. “For example, panels will be installed near the end of the build process in one location, as opposed to several locations throughout the process.”
Workers will be assembling 2018 Corvettes when the plant reopens and continue doing so through the week of Jan. 22, 2018. They will then shift gears and start manufacturing the 2019 model of the iconic sports car Jan. 29."
Last edited by Frosty; 10-17-2017 at 04:35 PM.
10-17-2017, 03:02 PM
#2
Race Director
I'm still curious as to what's happening in the first few weeks after the plant reopens. I know this forum is a small sample size of the amount of orders out there, but I don't recall anyone on this forum having a TPW in the first or second full week of production. Could the plant only be fulfilling dealer orders at first?
10-17-2017, 07:06 PM
#4
Race Director
I believe the training has been ongoing during this shut down time. The exact quote from the National Corvette Museum article from last week says this:
"Production at Bowling Green Assembly starts back up November 6, and at that time the ‘basics’ (Black, Arctic White, Torch Red, Corvette Racing Yellow) will begin rolling through the state-of-the-art paint shop. "
http://www.corvettemuseum.org/2019-c...ion-announced/
"Production at Bowling Green Assembly starts back up November 6, and at that time the ‘basics’ (Black, Arctic White, Torch Red, Corvette Racing Yellow) will begin rolling through the state-of-the-art paint shop. "
http://www.corvettemuseum.org/2019-c...ion-announced/
10-17-2017, 07:13 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I believe the training has been ongoing during this shut down time. The exact quote from the National Corvette Museum article from last week says this:
"Production at Bowling Green Assembly starts back up November 6, and at that time the ‘basics’ (Black, Arctic White, Torch Red, Corvette Racing Yellow) will begin rolling through the state-of-the-art paint shop. "
http://www.corvettemuseum.org/2019-c...ion-announced/
"Production at Bowling Green Assembly starts back up November 6, and at that time the ‘basics’ (Black, Arctic White, Torch Red, Corvette Racing Yellow) will begin rolling through the state-of-the-art paint shop. "
http://www.corvettemuseum.org/2019-c...ion-announced/
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2017/...erm=2017-10-17
10-17-2017, 07:24 PM
#6
Race Director
The NCM should have reworded their article differently then, because they certainly led me to believe that cars would be produced that day. Considering the fact that nobody has a TPW of earlier than the 20th, this now makes more sense.
There sure has been a lot of confusion over the last few months
There sure has been a lot of confusion over the last few months
10-17-2017, 08:10 PM
#7
Although workers will be reporting back on November 6th, that doesn’t mean they are starting up retail production immediately. We checked with several of our dealers who tell us the first Target Production Week (TPW) they are seeing on new orders is November 20th.
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2017/...erm=2017-10-17
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2017/...erm=2017-10-17
Is two weeks from Nov 6 to Nov 20 all the training these employees need? Very frustrating indeed. I was hoping the point for the shutdown was among many things, training - three months of it. This would mean that retail production would resume immediately. November 20 is the earliest TPW I've seen posted. No doubt Kerbeck and MacMulkin will be first in line. I have November 27 with Mike @ Criswell. On a side note, I understand these are just targets but part of me is wondering if these targets will be missed earlier rather than later with the announcement of the early production of 2019's. I think that the people who do not have an order will wait and as a result fewer 2018's will be produced the first few weeks meaning mine may get moved up.
10-17-2017, 08:15 PM
#8
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Is two weeks from Nov 6 to Nov 20 all the training these employees need? Very frustrating indeed. I was hoping the point for the shutdown was among many things, training - three months of it. This would mean that retail production would resume immediately. November 20 is the earliest TPW I've seen posted. No doubt Kerbeck and MacMulkin will be first in line. I have November 27 with Mike @ Criswell. On a side note, I understand these are just targets but part of me is wondering if these targets will be missed earlier rather than later with the announcement of the early production of 2019's. I think that the people who do not have an order will wait and as a result fewer 2018's will be produced the first few weeks meaning mine may get moved up.
10-17-2017, 08:16 PM
#9
Race Director
10-18-2017, 12:41 AM
#10
Instructor
Is two weeks from Nov 6 to Nov 20 all the training these employees need? Very frustrating indeed. I was hoping the point for the shutdown was among many things, training - three months of it. This would mean that retail production would resume immediately. November 20 is the earliest TPW I've seen posted. No doubt Kerbeck and MacMulkin will be first in line. I have November 27 with Mike @ Criswell. On a side note, I understand these are just targets but part of me is wondering if these targets will be missed earlier rather than later with the announcement of the early production of 2019's. I think that the people who do not have an order will wait and as a result fewer 2018's will be produced the first few weeks meaning mine may get moved up.
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SouthOCBoy (10-20-2017)
10-18-2017, 01:38 AM
#11
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It will be interesting to see the improvement in the paint quality. 
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JerriVette (10-18-2017)
10-18-2017, 05:23 AM
#12
Is two weeks from Nov 6 to Nov 20 all the training these employees need? Very frustrating indeed. I was hoping the point for the shutdown was among many things, training - three months of it. This would mean that retail production would resume immediately. November 20 is the earliest TPW I've seen posted. No doubt Kerbeck and MacMulkin will be first in line. I have November 27 with Mike @ Criswell. On a side note, I understand these are just targets but part of me is wondering if these targets will be missed earlier rather than later with the announcement of the early production of 2019's. I think that the people who do not have an order will wait and as a result fewer 2018's will be produced the first few weeks meaning mine may get moved up.
I firmly believe that 11/6 to 11/20 is startup "buffer". I would be willing to bet that all our TPWs will move up 1 week. Best of luck to all of us. For those of us that have TPW 1/1/18, please let us know as soon as yours is built as this will give us an indication if BG is on schedule.
Last edited by Perf n Restore; 10-18-2017 at 05:24 AM. Reason: spelling
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10-18-2017, 06:59 AM
#13
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Is two weeks from Nov 6 to Nov 20 all the training these employees need? Very frustrating indeed. I was hoping the point for the shutdown was among many things, training - three months of it. This would mean that retail production would resume immediately. November 20 is the earliest TPW I've seen posted. No doubt Kerbeck and MacMulkin will be first in line. I have November 27 with Mike @ Criswell. On a side note, I understand these are just targets but part of me is wondering if these targets will be missed earlier rather than later with the announcement of the early production of 2019's. I think that the people who do not have an order will wait and as a result fewer 2018's will be produced the first few weeks meaning mine may get moved up.
10-18-2017, 07:49 AM
#14
Pro
I wonder if the new paint shop is going to run at the same speed as vehicle assembly. As I understood it, the paint shop had to run all 3 shifts to keep up with 10 hours of car assembly in the old configuration.
10-20-2017, 07:02 AM
#15
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I think they won't move up TPW's until they actually start the line. Remember the T in TPW is Target. If your Target moves up, you are happy, if it moves backward you are not. GM is clearly playing it safe. I'm guessing the first week or so the line won't run at full speed.
I'm interested to see the new paint. I always thing automotive paint could be better, but my Arctic White Corvette paint is not appreciably worse than the Oxford White on my Focus ST. My 2016, I think was better than my 2008, FWIW.
I'm also interested to see the new line layout, as the old line had some funky stuff going on it. I wonder how much "free" floor space will be in the plant now.
I'm interested to see the new paint. I always thing automotive paint could be better, but my Arctic White Corvette paint is not appreciably worse than the Oxford White on my Focus ST. My 2016, I think was better than my 2008, FWIW.
I'm also interested to see the new line layout, as the old line had some funky stuff going on it. I wonder how much "free" floor space will be in the plant now.
10-20-2017, 07:52 AM
#16
Race Director
I wonder if any of the guys with TPWs of Nov 20 might see their cars built on the week of Nov 6 or even the week of Nov 13 or will those weeks be used entirely for training? I was also thinking that if they built half of the cars from Nov 20 in the first week and the other half in the second week, then everyone with a TPW after that could get moved ahead by one week.
10-20-2017, 08:05 AM
#17
I wonder if any of the guys with TPWs of Nov 20 might see their cars built on the week of Nov 6 or even the week of Nov 13 or will those weeks be used entirely for training? I was also thinking that if they built half of the cars from Nov 20 in the first week and the other half in the second week, then everyone with a TPW after that could get moved ahead by one week.
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Patman (10-20-2017)
10-20-2017, 10:31 AM
#18
Safety Car
In this second area, they pick up real tools and assemble the specific sub-section of the car — identically as they will during their five minutes on the assembly line. Then they go back to the computer for more training and job mastery training. Each employee must work their way through this training, up to the maximum job mastery level (level 4) for their job, and then they learn a second job. There are weeks and weeks of this training BEFORE they touch an actual 2018 Corvette on the assembly line.
Last edited by elegant; 10-20-2017 at 10:33 AM.
10-20-2017, 12:58 PM
#19
Per videos posted right after the NCM Labor Day Celebration (thanks jagamajajaran for posting the 4 lengthy videos — now on YouTube (two each by Kai Spande and Nora Roper — she’s the assistant Plant Manager, a GM Engineer with 30 years experience at seven different plants), the employees are right now back training at BGA. They are working on a combination of specialized computer training videos for every job, then after 8 hours of progressive proper tool selection and parts assembly on the computer, all sequenced for every single job in their 5 minute work assembly station, they then go to a separate area for hands on training.
In this second area, they pick up real tools and assemble the specific sub-section of the car — identically as they will during their five minutes on the assembly line. Then they go back to the computer for more training and job mastery training. Each employee must work their way through this training, up to the maximum job mastery level (level 4) for their job, and then they learn a second job. There are weeks and weeks of this training BEFORE they touch an actual 2018 Corvette on the assembly line.
In this second area, they pick up real tools and assemble the specific sub-section of the car — identically as they will during their five minutes on the assembly line. Then they go back to the computer for more training and job mastery training. Each employee must work their way through this training, up to the maximum job mastery level (level 4) for their job, and then they learn a second job. There are weeks and weeks of this training BEFORE they touch an actual 2018 Corvette on the assembly line.
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Perf n Restore (10-20-2017)
10-21-2017, 08:59 AM
#20
Racer
Rusty