1989 BUSINESS SHOWCASE Wednesday, February 22, 1989, Page 4 Siegler: Car seats produced just-min-time CAR SEAT units are assembled "at the Lumina as the cars progress along the last minute" at Lear Siegler Seating une at General Motors Oshawa. for the Buick Regal and Chevrolet FrS Pres pnoto handsome collection was specially designed to meet the ",11 functional needs of today's office-at-home. Brass hardware and exquisitely matched hardwoods complement the elegant, traditional design. Shown, kneehole desk with ball-bearing drawer sides, credenza with file drawers and adjustable shelves and chair upholstered in an off-white textured fabric. By Debbie Luchuk Lear Siegler Seating Corp., Whitby subsidiary, manufactures concurrently to production lines of the Buick Regal and Chevrolet Lumina at GM Oshawa. Lear Siegler produces the seat units "just in time," as the GM concept goes, to be placed in the car as it progresses along the line in the GM plant. Connected by computer with GM, Lear Siegler receives seat orders, car by car, and produces the seats in time to be nstalled at the seat installation point on the line. "We're a just-in-time facility. We have no finished inventory, and are manufacturing seats as vehicles are being manufactured at GM," Whitby hunan resources manager Tim Tracey said. "Their (GM) computer system sends us the set requirements for each vehicle as it cornes down the line. Then we begin to build (the seats)." For the Buick Regal Lear Sie- gler must produce and ship the seats within 154 minutes. For the new Chevrolet Lumina, the plant must process the seats within 184 minutes. There are a number of support systems to ensure that seats are produced on time, Tracey said. e plant boasts its own auxili- ary generator, an auxiliary air compressor (most tools used in the operation are air-powered), and an auxiliary heating system for the comfort of workers. Tracey said management- employee relations are good at the plant, attributable to Lear Siegler's focus on people. "If you work with people, people will work with you," he said. The Whitby operation repre- sents one of 11 North Amencan branches. Lear Siegler Seating was once part of Lear Siegler Industries, "a diversified com- pany, not just seats," said Bill By Debbie Luchuk As the name would suggest, keeping industry employees clothed and gloved is the busi- ness of Industrial Glove and Gar- ment of Whitby. "We rent industrial work clo- thing such as coveralls, shop coats, and we clean and repair industrial gloves," owner Rob Warden said of his Brock St. S. firm. Industrial Glove and Gar- ment's customers include LASCO and Cobi Foods, but business is not strictly limited to Whitby clients. "Our trucks range all over Southern Ontario, as far north as Midland and as far west as Milton,"Warden said. The company had its begin- nings in 1968, and Warden and his partner purchased the com- pany in 1977. His prior experience had been in the tool business. "It was a good buy. We started out in the tool business." Industrial Glove and Garment employs 25 employees, and War- den said that the company would Ott, director of human resources from the head office in South- field, Mich. The Whitby operation has been in existence for three years, and two other Canadian operations are in Ajax (serving the GM truck and van operations in Osh- awa and Scarborough) and in Kitchener (a metal stamping plant, producing the seat frames). There are six more plants in the U.S. and one in Mexico, with the head office and research faci- lities in Southfield. The corporation is chartered in the U.S., incorporated there and owned by senior management in both the U.S. and Canada. Primary customers in both the U.S. and Canada are GM and Ford and in the U.S., Chrysler, Ott said. There are 398 hourly, 54 salaried employees at the Whitby plant, with a "ver low turnover rate, less than three per cent turnover," said Tracey. Workers belong to the Canadian Auto Workers Union Local 222. As a corporation, Lear Siegler expects to exceed $1 billion in sales by the end of the fiscal year, Ott said. "Most of our plants are located near our customers so we can service the customer and be res- ponsive to their needs. If a custo- mer is not hapy, then he's not happy with us,' Ott said. Tracey said that he pleased with the cooperation given by Whitby and regional govern- ments. "They are very helpful, very positive and supportive which has resulted in an excellent rap- port between Lear Siegler and the community,»Tracey said. Hours of work correspond with shifts at GM: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 6 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Our corporation's goals and objectives are to deliver a world class, quality product. We believe our people are the way to get there, all of our people," Ott said. like to hire more but "the town of Whitby won't let us." A previqus application to expand was denied by council as the company is located near areas slated for residential and recreational development. However, the company hires a few students each summer. The workforce is non-union, and Warden believes that a union is not desired by his employees. "About five years ago a union tried, and went individually to all employees. They could not get one signature. In 1985 (when the union came again) we paidover what the union wages were." The company has seen a five- fold increase in business since 1977, which explains why the expansion was wanted. Warden thinks that the U.S.- Canada free trade deal will be good for the Canadian economy and business. "I think free trade will be good, but it's not gonfg to happen overnight. If Canadian business- men get off their butts, we may be able to get sales gong." ear Industrial Glove business 5 times greater than in '77