Saturday, January 26, 2008

Buick Factories In Miniature.

Hamilton and Industrial view of the model.

Hamilton Avenue in the foreground.

Buick Research Gallery Model in Flint, Michigan.


This model of the Buick final assembly plant was devised by industrial engineer Bob Engle during the 1960 remodel to accommodate the building of the new 1961 Buick Skylark. Here's a quote from Bob Breeden regarding this model, "Bob Engle, whom Rollert had brought from Kansas City, finally hit on a plan that would enable us to still make cars and start to turn the plant around. It was very complex and hard to sell and hard to explain. So he devised a little three-dimension model that could demonstrate how the job was going to be done. Bob Kessler and I took this mock-up to Detroit to sell it to Bud Goodman, who was head of the car divisions. He was intrigued with the model. He could understand it. From then on he became a very big supporter. We made the turnaround and that revised assembly plant lasted quite a while." Rollert (Edward D.) as mentioned was the plant manager from 1959 - 1965. Kessler (Robert L.) as mentioned was the manufacturing manager at that time and plant manager from 1965 - 1969. Bob Breeden was general manufacturing manager.

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