Interesting article in Business Week magazine

[Somerset Max]

The June 6, 2011 issue of Bloomberg Business Week has an interesting article titled "The Scrappiest Car Manufacturer in America". Filled with impressive statistics, the article provides additional insight into SOA's interest in the environment and in providing good working conditions for their employees.

The article leads with a graphic showing:
0 Waste
0 Layoffs
0 Strikes
0 Healthcare Premiums
0 Pay Cuts

Among other things that I never knew are the fact that 3 Bald Eagles reside on the SOA campus, wage increases have been given for 22 years, the employee accident rate is among the lowest in the US, there are 10 applicants for every job opening, and a new Legacy sedan is given away annually for the employee with the best cost-cutting suggestion.

I think we all knew about SOA's obsessive recycling, but this article provides more detail than I had seen previously. All-in-all, very impressive.

Pick up a copy from the news stand before this issue is gone!

[OBnube]

Maybe we should send a copy to Chrysler + GM.

[subcon]

Originally Posted by Somerset Max

Pick up a copy from the news stand before this issue is gone!

or read it online .. not sure if it's the full article though.

[Startiger]

Originally Posted by Somerset Max

a new Legacy sedan is given away annually for the employee with the best cost-cutting suggestion.

I got to visit the Toyota Camry Plant outside Lexington, KY.

They had a deal open to all employees, that anyone who could figure out how to eliminate their job, would get a $10,000 bonus and was guaranteed a new position with the same or better pay. Anyone else who would be effected by such an idea were also guaranteed new jobs as well.

It's impressive what people can come up with for cost cutting measures with the proper encouragement.

It also amazes me how backwards the US automakers can be in comparison.

One example. At the Camry plant,the dashboard assembly was installed into the car by one person who used a remote control to operate a manipulator unit. Once it was in, the robot bolted it down, and all the operator had to do was plug in the wiring harness. Compare that to footage of Chevy and the new Malibu. Their process take 4 operators to do the same install.

Keep it up Subaru.

[dakboy]

0 Strikes
0 Healthcare Premiums
0 Pay Cuts

And all this without the meddling of the UAW.