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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-04-22, Page 1139 YEAR - 16 GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1987 60 CENTS PER COPY Ontario Premier David Peterson launched Champion Road Machinery Ltd. into the robotic age with a flock of a switch Thursday during his brief tour of the manufac- turing facility. He toured °the Maitland Road plant with company president Bruce Sully. (photos by Dave Sykes) Installation\ of robo A $700,000 robotic arc welder is the latest . •'in a long series of plant innovations at Champion Road Machinery, Goderich. Therobotic' installation, which, Was. of- ficially set in motion. Thursday during a visit' by Ontario Premier David Peterson, was carried out with the technological and consulting assistance of the Ontario Centre for Advanced Manufacturing (QCAM) and is designed to provide the company with ' new levels of manufacturing efficiency. "We believe that robotic technology will, help to .improve the edge that ,.Champion has worked hard to achieve.in all areas of, manufacturing," said Champion Presi- dent and Chief Executive Officer Bruce: Sully. ' The Cincinnati Milacron T3-746 in- dustrial robot is the latest investment in Champion'•s $7 million, plant upgrading program. The robot, which went into pro- duction April 16 welding tandem transmis- sion'cases, will eventually handle welding, of about, 12 'different components, said Michael Sully, Champion vice president of manufacturing. It is designed to reduce set-up time and improve quality, he said. The machine is capable of reducing welding time by over 60 per cent, Sully .explained. While labor forces often fear the. advent of computers as competitors for jobs now done by workers, Sully said robotic innova- tions won't have an' adverse •effect on employment at Champion: "While the nature of your workforce. gives Champion edge "We believe that robotic tech . to improve the a e: has worked hard " o a+ hieve of ianuacturin c ul. changes a bit, to the point Where you have more technical people, probably it will mean an increase in employment as oppos- ed to a reduction." The addition of the robot to the Cham- pion production line comes on the heels of last week's announcement the company will spend $9.6 million over the next five years to design,' develop and manufacture anew generation of motor grader for the export military' market. Success of that project could translate into a total sales in- crease of over $70 million over the next five years and an increase o£,120 to 150 jobs in Goderich. Champion's upgrading program began with the introduction of a manufacuring resource planning system which gives the pany's practice . of "utilizing our. capital and processes to the fullest". Because Champion specializes in road graders, most of its products, are sold to governments, who are •in the road building ' business. This means most sales are made . 'on the basis of "low bid to specifications," said Mark'Suliy,, adding that it is,the com- pany's intention ompany'sintention to be a world leader in that area. ' ' . "If. you're not doing what we're . doing' *(keeping, pace with technology), you're go= ing to lbe out of business," he"added: OCAM president Ken Jones said Cham- pion has. become one of the first medium • size manufacturing companies in Ontario to invest in robotic welding equipment. . "Many.of the provinces largest corpora- tions have,•made this move, now some of the medium sized companies are beginn- ing to see, the benefits," he said. • Champion sales in 1987 are expected to exceed $100 million, said Mark Sully, of which 70 per cent goes to export. The com- pany produces approximately 1,000 road grader units each year, which are sold in 88 countries • around the world; good enough forumber two spot in world sales of motor g aders according to company statistics. Champion manufacturing facilities in Goderich, the United States and around the world employ approximately 1,000 peo- ple, of which 800 are plant and office employees of the Goderich head office facility. company precise computerized control of its entire manufacturing, resource'plann- ing and inventory control process.' • The company has also introduced new high-speed numerically controlled machining centres to the, plant floor. "The move into robotics," said Bruce Sully, was 'made only after long and careful examina- tion of the available equipment and how well the arc welding unit would fit into the fast -changing manufacturing environment. Mike Sully said the company is looking at the arc welder as "a stepping stone to , learning more about robotics". Keeping up with high-technology equip- ment, said Champion Vice -President of Marketing Mark Sully, is part of the com- Premier launches new era BY PATRICK RAFTIS With the flick of a switch, Ontario Premier David Peterson helped launch Champion toad Machinery into its second century of operation during a visit to Goderich April 16. Peterson's visit was an acknowledgement of the Goderich-based company's 100th anniversary of operation. During his trip to Huron County, which also included stops in Clinton and Seaforth, Peterson pressed the switch that set new robotic arc welding machinery into action and launched Champion into a new era of manufacturing innovation. Calling Champion a' "model for the rest of the country," the premier said it was a "remarkable accomplishment," for a company to stay in business and prosper for 100 years as the organization has done. "Your company is a pillar of this town," Peterson told Champion workers who took a break from their routine to welcome the premier. "The strong stable work force, combined with this newest technology, makes you the best in the world." Champion President and Chief Ex- ecutive Officer Bruce Sully said the move toward robotics is a reaction to the "intense competition in the motor grader industry". "The efforts of all our people are directed toward finding a way to build a better motor grader," said Sully. Cham- pion aims to compete by being the "low cost producer in the world," while main- ' taining high quality standards, Sully,,said. The installation of high technology equip- ment aids the company in attaining and maintaining that goal. Provincial Agriculture Minister, Huron - Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell, who in- troduced the premier, said local industry needs to be innovative in order to compete in the international marketnlare. at Ch arden Show starts Friday Now that the weather is in complete sync with the season, people will be getting out- doors to attend to landscaping and garden- ing chores. And the second annual Goderich Home and Garden Show at the Goderich Memorial Arena this weekend should pro- vide homeowners and green thumbers with all the tips and ideas they need. The second home and garden show un- folds over three days beginning Friday at 6 p.m. and running through to 5 p.m. Sun- day. This year's edition will feature over 60 exhibitors on the arena floor and free entertainment all weekend in the auditorium. Sponsored by the Goderich Figure Skating Club, the show will feature ex- hibits on everything from gar tools and tractors to real, estate, log homes, spas, swimming pools and home decorating ideas. There will be fashion shows all weekend sponsored by area clothing outlets as well as karate and aerobic demonstrations and musical entertainment by Cool Energy. Admission to the home show is $1 and door prizes will be offered throughout the weekend. Details of the home and garden show ap- pear inside a special Home and Garden , supplement included in this week's Signal - Star. Thje 48 -page tabloid offers a number of gardening and landscaping ideas for the home owner and gardener. See you at the Goderich Home and Garden Show this weekend. New postmaster at local office Former Exeter postmaster Ken Dobney, on April 21, becomes the eleventh postmaster in Goderich since postal ser • - vice was officially inaugurated in 1835. Dobney was 'bowl. in Kitchener and began his postal career as a letter carrier at the Kitchener Post Office in 1968. In 1975, he was appointed as assistant ostmaster in Clinton and six years, later, in 1981, he Was promoted to postmaster, ' Ex er, a position he held untilhis appoint- ment`as Goderich postmaster. Dobney says he is looking forward to, working4th his new staff at the Goderich Post Oice, adding "I hope to continue to provide„ the higgh level of courteous service the residents o'f Goderich have come to ex- pect from their Post office for the past cen- tury and a half.” Rotary'paper drive 'begins `\ The Goderich Rotary Club's .annual paper drive begins this -Saturday, April 25. Residents are asked to have papers securely tied and at the curb by 10 a.m., for pick-up by Rotary.Club members. The annual paper drive serves the two- fold purpose of benefiting the ecology and raise funds for Rotary to use toward 'com- munity betterment. Future paper drive dates in1987 are: June 13, September. 12 and November 7. I S1 )E T SIGNAL -9 F AR pion Champion Road Machinery CEO Bruce Sully stops behind a circle gear and talks with Ontario Premier David Peterson and Agriculture Minister, Jack Riddell during a tour of the company's "Champion has shown that Huron Coun- Champion's main manufacturing facility ty can compete internationally through on Maitland Road, and several times stop - high technology," Riddell said. - ped to chat briefly with workers. He also Peterson was given a complete tour of took a short ride on a Champion grader,. Maitland Road manufacturing facility Thursday. (photo by Dave Sykes) driven by Bruce Sully, and took the reins himself to steer an antique horse-drawn grader outside the Champion plant, before heading off for a nieeting-in Clinton. Hully Gully camps Hully Gully, located near Clinton, gives people the opportunity to experience the thrill of speeding around a race track and flying through the air on a motorcycle. A variety of skills can be learned at any one of several motocross and ATV summer recreational camps and clinics Hully Gully is offering. For story and picture, see the Sports section. - Insurance reform. There are three different options for pro- viding automobile liability insurance to Ontario motorists. ' Most area brokers believe some form of `no-fault' liability in- surance will take the place of the current adversarial claims system due to excess settlements. For story and pictures, see the front page of the Community section. `Mind -body' therapy Occupational therapy is a field of study few people actually understand, Catfiy McGavin, a Mohawk College -McMaster Univeristy students, spent the past six weeks in Goderich on 'an occupational therapy internship. See inside this section for a story on the field of occupational therapy.