Chevrolet builds the Volt not in a conventional Chevy plant, but in the GM Detroit Hamtramck facility.
So-called because its size sees it cross the border of two cities, ‘Dee-Ham’ also builds the Cadillac DTS and the Buick Lucerne. So, why the Volt too? What on earth can the synergy be there?
In the workers, explained plant manager Teri Quigley during a tour of the 365-acre facility. Sure, Dee-Ham had spare capacity. Several GM facilities do (that’s the recession for you). It was chosen over them, though, because the workforce was used to assembling complex, high-value machines with lots of technical complication.
The processes that go into making bespoke luxury limos for the President can, it was figured, also be employed making GM’s (and the world’s) first EREV.
Now, I’ve been on a few plant tours in my time, I’m fortunate enough to say. They’re always a treat, if for the smell and warmth and sugar-loaded, powdered-cream coffee rush alone. But Dee-Ham was pretty special, because of something unexpected: those who work there.
This is a plant that’s been under the cosh. In 2007, it built 120,000 cars. Then the recession came: in 2009, it built 35,000. This year, it’s expected to build 50k, but it’s still way off its maximum.
Indeed, this is why part of the production line runs in ghostly darkness, unmanned, packed with cars passing slowly through in total isolation. “The line runs on a 1600-car capacity,” explained Quigley. “This is far too long – until we can shorten it, parts of it are left unattended.”
You’d think the 1000-strong workforce would be weather-worn by perilous reminders such as this. Brassed off, fearful, and resentfully mechanistic as a result. But, not a bit – and this improbable value-asset was evident from the off.
Howyadoin’
They all knew we were there to see the Chevy Volt being made (apart from a section at the very beginning, it shares the same line as Obama’s DTS). And, to a man (or lady), they made sure we knew how proud they were to be producing it.
Smiles, waves, howdyados, all came as we sat on the buggy touring us round the huge facility. All were eager to proudly show off what they were doing; the chaps at the end of the line gave the bodies they were inspecting a chuffed buff, others directed the one-piece IP through the doors-off body with a wink and a grin, the guys driving the cars over to suspension testing beamed and flashed their lights at us. All cool stuff.
This was people proud of the products they were producing. It was a little bit more than just a job, and the warmth they had in their work was evident throughout the peril-weathered facility.
The result is a couple of J.D. Power awards for Vehicle Dependability, plus other aspects such as the extremely well assembled pre-production Volts we ragged on the test drive. Something’s going right there, despite the economic harshness.
Yes, plant tours are generally geekily fascinating. But this one was doubly so, because of the likeable and skilled workforce it was populated by. They welcomed us, continued putting out good stuff and win awards for what they do in the process.
Choosing Dee-Ham – yet another canny EREV move by GM?
