The Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-07-01, Page 5Paha A4 - Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Volvo reaches end of production line in Goderich
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signal-star publisher
"God knows what's going on,"
As loud claps of thunder rattled the quiet,
streaks of lightning pierced the dark noon
sky, and rain pelted the parking.lot outside of
the finish bays, some employees of Volvo
Construction Equipment gathered to bear
witness to the end of the production line at the
Maitland Road facility last Thursday.
"It's a funeral," an employee remarked
with a look of resignation as the eerie silence
of the manufacturing line lent credence to the
assertion.
The final grader.
Sadly, it marked the end of the production
line that for over 120 years had produced the
finest road -making machines in the world.
While the day of reckoning had been
announced months earlier at a sobering meet-
ing of all employees, bearing witness to the
release of the last machine was a solemn and
disheartening experience.
They didn't imagine it would be this tough
to say goodbye.
There were no formalities or special rituals
planned. Some employees. simply made their
way to and gathered in the final inspection
bay, as they may have done thousands of
times before to watch their product leave the
building for a world-wide destination.
This time it was different.
There would never be another machine
made in Goderich. Grader town was no
more.
Not everyone could muster up the emo-
tional stamina or personal courage to watch
as longtime employee, John Kolkman, put
his seal of approval on the Volvo G960 that
will represent the final machine produced in
Goderich. It will. remain in Huron County
and was • presented to. county officials at a
special ceremony Tuesday at the Maitland
Recreation Centre where residents enjoy lei-
sure time_in the Volvo Acquatic Centre.
Others watched proudly and with final
resignation, knowing that their life's work
will continue to ply roadways and construc-
tion sites in Canada and countries around the
world for many years to come.
They all know they made a great machine,
the best there was anywhere in the world.
But they knew the finality of the compa-
ny's decision to move manufacturing across
the border to the United States had arrived.
It marked the end of an era.
He had performed the ritual thousands of
times before during his 43 years with the
company but when Kolkman placed a final
inspection sticker on the window of the cab
Thursday, it officially marked the end of a
rich legacy of innovation, pride and small
town know how and ingenuity.
Employees clapped and cheered as the
final sticker of approval was affixed in
place.
They shook hands and hugged each other,
to acknowledge the contribution of their col-
leagues and friends in the product from
design and engineering to final assembly.
Everyone played an integral role.
Many represented a second and third gen-
eration in a family to work at the grader
manufacturer. It has been a way of life and
sustained families and built a community.
While as many as 1,000 employees, retir-
ees and families planned to gather at the
employee picnic Sunday, others knew they
Photo by Dave Sykes
A road grader didn't leave the Goderich manufacturing facility on Maitland Road
unless John Kolkman deemed the machine to be road worthy. The 43 -year
employee was charged with the duty of discharging the final grader, destined to
work the roadways of Huron County.
might not see some colleagues for a long
time.
The emotion, while palpable, was sincere
and genuine.
The pride was as evident as the sadness.
Many of the manufacturing employees are
finished and over the next several months
employees in other departments will see their
employment with the company come to a
close.
But while the production line, which at one
time was geared to produce seven graders a
day, wound down in June, the quality of
machine leaving the building was never bet-
ter. For Vice President and General Manager
Jay Davis, that fact speaks to the integrity,
loyalty and pride of the Volvo workers.
'The pride that people take in the product
and their jobs is evident and the quality of the
machine leaving this building has never been
better," Davis said. "I am proud of the guys
Union proud to havebeen
choice. On Oct. 1, 2008 employees learned
that manufacturing of the company's motor
graders would be ,transferred to its
Shippensburg facility.
The decision to give employees and the
community nine months notice was a risky,
but necessary one Davis said adding that the
company was able to provide . transition
resources and training to assist employees
and their families.
"We provided $750,000 in funding for
training and workshops and it was meaning-
ful training that would help employees transi-
tion to other jobs," he said. "The challenge
was to provide all the necessary training
before employees would leave but they
helped themselves and they helped each
other. When their colleagues were away on
training, • others on the floor had to pick up
their work. They helped each other.
"I am grateful for the opportunity here and
I am glad I stayed to see people develop as
leaders. That's very cool," he said.
While the parent company may not have
invested capital in the facility over the past
few years, Davis cited the technical experi-
ence of employees and their willingness to
work out issues as intangibles that most
manufacturers lack.
"The experience we had here made up for
any lack of capital. We had technical knowl-
edge and experience," he said. "A lot of
companies don't get the fact that to get some-
thing done, put together 10 guys with over
300 years experience and they'll figure it out.
You just have to listen to them."
The level of commitment and technical
expertise in Goderich is second -to -none he
said adding that most employees have a full
understanding of the grader and the process
who led the effort. Some of these people required to build the best machine in the
don't have jobs and yet they stayed focused world.
and committed. There are a number of strong 'The level -of expertise and the understand -
leaders here, natural leaders, and a lot of ing these employees have of the process is
internal talent." not typical in manufacturing," he said. "These
When Davis took on the challenge at Volvo employees are skilled and have a more holis-
in October 2006, he never envisioned that he tic understanding of the grader and a broader
would face the grim task of announcing the scope. These people have worked in all
closure of the facility two years later.departments and are like full-blown median -
"I had 12 direct reports and we soon got ics. That's unique to Volvo in Goderich."
team working together," he said. "2001 was a Davis will head to Brussels as Vice
real turnaround year for the Goderich plant as President of Volvo Production Systems and
we had increased the volume and things were join colleagues Scott Hall, Dave Ross and
really ticking." Patrick Olney who have all worked in
The situation seemed to change when Goderich:
Volvo purchased Ingersoll Rand in 2008 and As the last grader produced in Goderich
Shippensburg, Penn., which is in the middle left the building Thursday, it left equipped
of the company's largest market (North with a lot of emotion, pride and heart.
America) and just two hours from Baltimore, As always.
Md. the largest port used to ship product More care. Built in.
around the world, became the location of
Dave Sykes •
signal -star publisher
We were grader builders:
They were certainly more than that,
but that simple assertion from John An-
derson, of the International Association
of Machinists Local 1863 summed up
the feeling as the unionized employees
left the plant, some for the final time, on
Thursday, June 25.
But as 'executive members of Local
1863 reminisced in the cramped union
office, they talked about the genuine
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pride they felt for the manner in which
their membership conducted themselves
through difficult circumstances since
the company announced the closure.
They talked of the professionalism and
dedication of the unionized employees.
"This is a sad day but hopefully it is
also a new beginning for many," Local
1863 President Duane Horton said. "
I am proud of the job these guys have
done. As president, I'm happy that day
after day, with no light at the end of
the tunnel, these guys built graders and
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components for Shippensburg. They
were professionals and they are very
skilled people."
That same sentiment was echoed by
John Anderson, a union executive mem-
ber for many of his 35 years at the com-
pany. The conduct of the membership
through the last nine months of employ-
ment was nothing short of exemplary he
said. -
"We did what we had to do. I am proud
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