GM banking big on small plant

Much smaller than traditional vehicle plants, GM's Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan is flexible enough to accommodate up to three vehicles in addition to the Cadillac CTS now being built there.

Twenty years ago the communication between a manufacturing engineer and hourly workers was pretty much one way, as in, “Do this.” Today, as exemplified at General Motors Corp.'s new Lansing Grand River (LGR) plant, the lines of communication run in both directions, said Assistant Plant Manager Ken Knight-and in many cases, it's workers giving engineers work to do, as in, “Please enable me to do this.”

Knight's boss, Plant Manager Bob Anderson, describes the organization at LGR as an upside-down pyramid. “The operator is on top, and the structure, layouts, and processes are all designed around providing support for the operators and the teams on the plant floor,” he said.