Buttermore

GM vice president says Fredericksburg Powertrain plant is performing well

Date published: 12/12/2007

By KELLY HANNON

A visiting General Motors vice prespident said a local GM plant could be positioned for new work, if the company's alternative fuel vehicles sell with consumers.

GM's Baltimore plant has recently begun transmission work on the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon hybrids models.

"It's been extremely successful, beneficial, to Baltimore," said GM Powertrain vice president John R. Buttermore, who visited the GM Powertrain plant in Spotsylvania County on Monday. Buttermore oversees global manufacturing at Powertrain plants.

" Based on where the market goes, that kind of thing could expand," Buttermore said.

GM Powertrain has 47 manufacturing plants around the world. Buttermore visits each plant once a year to review the business plan and meet with employees and union members.

"Manufacturing's a contact sport, and you've got to make contact with people," Buttermore said. "People are what make our products great and what make our processes work. That's just been my philosophy."

He was pleased with the Spotsylvania plant's safety record and inventory and cost measures.

"The plant is doing the kind of things that can position them, should opportunities be available," Buttermore said.

The plant has reduced energy use 48 percent since 2002.

GM plans to build cars powered by a number of alternative energy sources.

It has an electric concept car, the Chevrolet Volt. The U.S. auto maker is also looking at biodiesel, improving internal combustible engines and six-speed transmissions, Buttermore said.

"There's a lot of activity at General Motors to take what we call an 'energy diversity' approach, and try not to have a crystal ball and select one," Buttermore said.

Depending on where the technology goes, and what people buy, the Spotsylvania plant could be involved in building those vehicles. Today, the plant produces torque converter clutches for automatic transmission vehicles. In April, the plant started producing six-speed rear-wheel-drive clutches.

"There's things that the plant can control. The plant cannot control $4 a gallon for gas," Buttermore said. " What they can control is their performance and that part of the plant here has made some very good improvements."

GM Powertrain employs around 135 hourly and salaried workers in Spotsylvania. There is one 8-hour work shift.

The work force has shrunk from around 300 employees and several shifts of work.

Plant manager Dave Clarkson said employee morale seems strong following a national United Auto Workers strike in September. "When the national UAW announced their strike, there was an element of surprise by the people here. I don't think they thought it was going to happen," Clarkson said. "I can say that we have settled a local contract agreement that makes sure we're competitive, and we've always had here in Fredericksburg a very good management-union relationship."

UAW Local 2132 chairman Tim Zafrano did not return a call for comment.

Date published: 12/12/2007