Having conquered Y2K, automakers ready for full production

By Jim Suhr, Associated Press, 1/3/2000 10:22

DETROIT (AP) Major U.S. automakers rolled into the new millennium with no reported Y2K computer bugs. Now, they're set to get their vehicles again rolling off assembly lines at full speed.

General Motors Corp., DaimlerChrysler AG and Ford Motor Co. resumed production Sunday at various assembly and parts plants, coming off their traditional holiday shutdowns and a weekend free of reported Y2K snafus.

GM and Ford today reported no Y2K problems as most factories around the world ramped up as scheduled; DaimlerChrysler spokespeople could not be reached for comment. Officials appeared refreshed about entering the 21st century apparently free of Y2K trouble.

''I can sleep well tonight,'' Roger Ruggiero, vice president and general manager of DaimlerChrysler's Jeep and Truck Assembly Operations, said at a Detroit assembly plant where a trial run Sunday went without incident.

''We're thrilled. Like everyone else, we didn't know what to expect,'' Ruggiero said.

The automaker considered that ''Y2K validation run'' key, given the plant is among the company's most-sophisticated, computerized assembly sites. The drill also affirmed no Y2K-related kinks with the company's suppliers, including important ''just-in-time'' ones that get their parts as needed to the plant that like countless others doesn't keep large inventories on hand.

GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler spent about $1.3 billion preparing themselves and suppliers for the year 2000 to them, money well spent in their apparently seamless transition into the new year.

''I'm not sure what we could have expected that could have made it much better,'' said John Ahearne, a GM spokesman.

The world's No. 1 automaker was scheduled to fire up four assembly plants in the U.S. and Canada by midnight Sunday, Ahearne said. GM also anticipated routine startups of 18 North American parts plants by late Sunday, he said.

Ford's weekend testing also detected no Y2K glitches systemwide, virtually ensuring today's resumption of full production.

On Sunday, the No. 2 automaker ramped up four assembly plants in the U.S. and Britain, spokeswoman Kathleen Vokes said.

''I would say we are very, very positive at this point, feel good and don't anticipate any issues that will impact the business whatsoever,'' said George Surdu, Ford's technical-services director and global Year 2000 program manager.

But, he added, ''I'm going to hold my optimism down and not claim success quite yet. We have a full week of production ahead of us.''

-- troll (but@posted a decent.article), January 03, 2000

Answers

Time will certainly tell. Are all the vendors that supply parts to GM ready? What about the folk that supply that supply raw materials to the vendors?

If a steering wheel vendor for a certain model car cannot deliver for three weeks, what happens to that GM production line?

-- M.C. (mountaineer60@juno.com), January 03, 2000.

A little early in the week to be bragging isn't it?

-- gomer (gomer@dot.com), January 03, 2000.