Harley Davidson 2011 Annual Report Download - page 13

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The massive transformation in Harley-Davidson manufacturing is not a story about new factories. It’s a story
about people learning to work in a whole new way. It’s a story about what happens when the motorcycle
builders are encouraged to bring ideas for improvement to the factory leaders. “Lots of people have had good
ideas over the years. In the past they weren’t heard,” says James Love, an operator in York for 23 years. “Now
management listens.”
One example was the idea James and his team had to eliminate bottlenecks by taking motorcycles off the line
and loading them on trucks. Leadership implemented it immediately, doubling the staging capacity and solving
a problem that could have slowed down the whole line.
Improvements that used to take months now happen in weeks. We’re making motorcycles faster, with higher
quality, more safely. And proving beyond a doubt that American technology, products and people can compete
with anyone, anywhere in the world.
We will build more motorcycles in
one building this year than we did in 41 buildings
two years ago.
Our first-pass yield, which is a reflection
of the quality of the motorcycles as they come off
the line, continues to go up and to set records.
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