GM Number 1 is Number 1 Oshawa plant tops quality study Six GM facilities rank in top 10
TONY VAN ALPHEN BUSINESS REPORTER
The General Motors Oshawa Number 1 assembly plant has another new title that fits its name.
The facility is the Number 1 auto operation in the Western Hemisphere for producing vehicles with the highest initial quality, a major industry research firm reported yesterday.
This marks the second consecutive year that a GM plant in Oshawa has topped the annual J.D. Power and Associates study of the impression an auto plant's products make on American owners of new vehicles.
Oshawa Number 1 won J.D. Power's Gold Plant Quality Award by having only 87 problems or defects per 100 vehicles. The plant assembles the Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo.
Last year, Oshawa Number 1 won the title of most productive assembly operation in North America in a study by U.S.-based Harbour and Associates.
The neighbouring Oshawa Number 2 auto plant finished first last year in initial quality among the 82 plants in North and South America that sell in the world's biggest market.
Oshawa Number 2, which turns out the Pontiac Grand Prix and the Buick Regal and Century, placed fourth this year with 101 defects.
"We are very proud of our car plant employees and the work they do for us every day," said Michael Grimaldi, president of General Motors of Canada Ltd.
"To earn the Gold Plant Quality Award is a great accomplishment and to earn it two years in a row is truly remarkable."
One GM worker said last year the award was like winning "the Stanley Cup of manufacturing."
GM, the country's biggest auto maker, has not yet decided how it will reward employees for the achievement. Last year, it gave each plant employee a watch and free lunch.
In the J.D. Power study, six GM plants placed in the top 10, reflecting a significant improvement in the auto giant's quality during the last five years.
In its study, J.D. Power polled more than 52,000 new vehicle owners during the first 90 days of ownership about their initial impressions and problems. Problems could range from a loose screw to a paint blemish.
While GM topped its rivals in the Western Hemisphere, Toyota's Tahara, Japan, plant won the worldwide award with only 63 defects per 100 vehicles. Toyota swept the top three awards in the Asia-Pacific region.
In Europe, BMW's plant in Munich, DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes-Benz operation in Bremen, Germany, and Ford Motor Co.'s Volvo factory in Torslanda, Sweden, had the best initial-quality scores.
Ford's St. Thomas plant ranked 14th, while Honda's two plants in Alliston were 15th and 18th.
Toyota's operation in Cambridge, previously a perennial top 10 finisher, placed 40th.
"That was surprising," said Richard Cooper, executive director for J.D. Power in Canada.
DaimlerChrysler's big minivan plant in Windsor finished 24th and GM's truck operation in Oshawa placed 27th.
Although J.D. Power would not release the names of plants that fell below the industry average of 135 defects per 100 vehicles, sources revealed that Daimler's factory in Brampton, Toyota in Cambridge and Ford's minivan plant in Oakville are among them.
However, the study also revealed that Canada ranks second only to Japan for best initial quality among auto regions. Canada is ahead of Germany, Mexico, the United Kingdom, the United States and Korea, according to the study.
The study also showed the initial-quality gap between North American, European, Japanese and Korean brands continues to narrow.
The Korean producers have made the most gains in cutting the gap during the last five years, the study found.
Among brand names, luxury models such as the Lexus, Cadillac, Infiniti and Acura produced the fewest defects, the study showed.
The Hummer, Land Rover, Kia, MINI and Saab brands reported the highest number of defects.
Posted by Harry (Member # 1834) on :
Congratulations to GM Canada and its employees for this award. I'm surprised that the Toyota plant did so poorly this time.
[ 07. May 2003, 08:43 PM: Message edited by: Harry ]
Posted by ss_rs_z (Member # 1888) on :
Congratulations Oshawa Ontario Plant for the fantastic job you are doing. Keep up the great work as the Monte Carlo SS is going to be my next vehicle soon.
Its great to see the quality improving so dramatically and the challenge has been met with the " Other Automakers. " I raise my Diet Pepsi in salute. Its the best I can do as I don't drink.......LOL. Posted by Hawkeye (Member # 88) on :
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I'm surprised that the Toyota plant did so poorly this time.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Keep up the great work as the Monte Carlo SS is going to be my next vehicle soon.![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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