Worker ideas help Fiat; Simple changes used to keep plants cost-competitive.(News)

Automotive News Europe,  May, 2004  by Frink, Lyle; Snyder, Jesse

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Byline: Jesse Snyder, Lyle Frink

Workers at Fiat's sprawling assembly plant here have suggested and devised hundreds of simple aids to boost their efficiency.

They range from wheeled cabinets that travel along with the moving assembly line to a bulletin board with the entire wiring harness spread out to help workers trace any faults. Worker-suggested aids can be extremely simple, such as painting white lines on the floor to mark worker stations.

"Toward the end is a red line," says Zdzislaw Arlet Tichy plant manager. "If the operator finishes his task before ...

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