2006 Feb_Mar People002

FEB / MAR 200&
THE
WtAQAZtNE
FOR EMPLOYEeS
O F QM
HOLDEN
^™
A
QEIMERAL M O T O R S
COMPANY
1
V8'S RACE TO
MIDDLE EAST
GLOBAL GONG FOR DIE DUO
PLANT UPGRADE
CONTINUES
MODELMEN
LAST MONARC CHARITY C O U P E P O S T E R INSIDE^
F R O M
THE
BOARDROOM
Rod
Keane
Executive Director Manufacturing
Holden has already appeared on three magazine
covers vt/ith the all new L76 V8 engine, which has had
a strong reaction from customers and media alike.
We've also launched the Statesman International, a
Commodore Lumina and our first ever Barina sedan.
It's critical to have the right product mix at the right
price if we are going to be competitive. We are most
definitely moving towards a better position with the
launch of these vehicles and new powertrain.
The Barina sedan is particularly important in light of
January sales results, which were Holden's lowest
month of passenger sales in 12 years. The Commodore,
whilst remaining a leader, had its lowest sales month
in 11 years. Hopefully, the new 6.0L engine will spark
fresh interest in this segment.
On the other hand, Barina had its biggest month in
the history of the nameplate. Not surprisingly, it was
the first time ever the light car segment, with a 36 per
cent increase in volume, was bigger than the large
car segment in this country.
In this edition o1 People magazine you will find pictures and
stories about the significant investment that continues across
our manufacturing operations as we continue our preparations
for what is arguably one of the most significant years in the
history of the GM Holden company, and the Holden brand.
While the images of the sophisticated new technology
that will shape the future are impressive, it takes more than
technology to realise our goals. There can be no doubt that
we have the equipment necessary to build the
internationally competitive vehicles we need to remain a
viable force in the global market. We are confident we have
the right product in our new generation Commodore. But
the most important role is that played by our people in
helping to make it all happen.
Our people have the skills and the ability to problem
solve, to turn challenges into opportunities, and to optimise
the performance of our new equipment and processes. The
investment in our facilities and programs is just one part of
achieving our success for the future. It is people who drive
that success and make it a reality.
It's easy to see where our challenges lie in our Year
of the Family Car. The new Commodore must be so
convincing that the future of the large car segment is
no longer questioned.
Global a w a r d f o r
local engine
I know everyone at Holden is working hard to make
sure every product we launch hits the right spot in the
market. With companies such as Honda achieving 33
per cent growth in January year to date, the pressure
is only going to increase.
The Holden 2.8 litre V6 Turbo engine exported to
Sweden for the new Saab 9-3 Aero range, has won
international acclaim as one of the world's top 10 engines.
The engine, which last year made headlines as the four
millionth export engine manufactured at Holden Engine
Operations at Fishermans Bend, has been recognised
by Ward's Communications. Now in its 12th year.
Wards 10 Best Engines recognises superior
performance and highlights the importance of
powertrain technology in engine engineering. Another
GM manufactured engine, the 2.0 litre Supercharged
Ecotec from the GM Powertrain plant at Kalserslautern
in Germany, made the top 10.
It is at times such as these that an organisation
depends on its employees to ensure the best job is
being done at every level.
It is especially important that we keep this in mind as
we set our objectives for the year. The stretch targets
we set need to be ambitious and reach further than
ever before. Please take the time to make the most of
this process with your manager.
Director Holden Engine Operations, Dan Ryon, said
the news was further proof that Holden was producing a
quality, high technology product that was respected
around the world.
if we all work together, with Holden's success
foremost in our minds, we can
achieve our objectives in 2006.
I look forward to meeting these
challenges with you all.
Denny Mooney
"Congratulations to the entire Global V6 team for their
hard work in manufacturing such a highly respected
engine," Dan said.
C h a i r m a n a n d Managing D i r e c t o r
Cover photo: Mike Chester is Model Manager- Validation and Fabrication at Holden Design. He is also a mentor to design graduates Joel Kong, Adrian
Marcon and Drew King wtio recently joined the world of work after attaining their degrees in industrial design at Monash University. Story pages 8+9.
PEOPLE
PAGE
E
NE\A/S
Charitable
Queensiander Darryl Mattingley, has
paid $187,600 to snare a piece of
automotive history in the global auction
of the last of the current generation
Monaro coupe.
Keen bidding was kicked off at
$100,000 at the motorshow in
Melbourne before finishing with the top
bid that was three times the $60,490
recommended retail price of a standard
CV8 Monaro.
The global auction began on eBay on
February 9, coinciding with the last
Monaro's debut at the Melbourne
International Motor Show. All proceeds
raised have been donated to The
Leukaemia Foundation, a long-term
partner of Holden.
The sale of the car marked the end of
coupe production in Elizabeth, after
more than four years and 47,000 sales
in Australia and overseas representing
four General Motors brands.
Holden engineers and designers
collaborated on the special project that
transformed the last Monaro, built on
December 13, 2005, into a one-off
collector's classic that featured specially
embossed wheels and color accents.
Lead Designer, Color and Trim, Meryl
e n d f o rmotoring
icon
Baker, said the project involved all of
the color and trim team.
"Monaro is very close to our hearts
and has always been a special vehicle
for us to be able to express our design
creativity through the interior and
exterior combinations," Meryl said.
"This was about trying to make
something quite unique in a very short
time frame. We only had three months
and everything had to meet warranty
conditions and the usual tests. We had to
work with local suppliers and use materials
that had already passed all of the tests,
like the leather inserts with perforations
and the colored stitching on the seats, in
order to meet the time frame," Meryl said.
Holden fabrication specialists totally
stripped the vehicle from its black
production persona to the unique "Torque"
custom color, an orange-yellow with fine
metallic highlight that was developed as
an interpretation of the classic colors for
which the original late 1960s Monaro
coupes were famous. Lincoln Gray was
part of the 15 strong team.
"The whole project went particularly
smoothly I think because everyone was
so enthused and passionate about
working on the last Monaro," Lincoln said.
PEOPLE
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3
"There were a lot who said if they had
the money they would bid but we knew
it would be out of our price range. To
know that all the money is going to
charity makes the exercise even more
worthwhile," he said.
NE\A/S
Fire ignites
Outstanding teamwork and a
willingness to accept short term
disruptions to work routines have seen
the Foundry Disa plant return to full
production following the fire that made
headlines in August last year
The Disa plant suffered a major
furnace fire back on August 25 last year
which completely destroyed one
furnace and caused major damage to a
second. Production was severely
effected with no melting capabilities in
the plant until mid-September when the
second was brought back on line.
Production Area Manager and Acting
Foundry Manager, Grant Mitchell, said
the team in neighboring plant 14
provided strong support, enabling one of
its furnaces to be used to transfer metal
to the Disa operation on afternoon and
night shifts. The move required
operators in both areas to change shifts.
"The Manufacturing Engineering,
Quality Assurance, Production,
Maintenance and Safety departments
all worked hard to enable this process
teamwork
to be successfully developed, risk
assessed, tested and then safely used
in a very tight time frame," Grant said.
The Sydney based Intercast &
Forge Foundry also weighed into the
rescue effort, casting some key Holden
products. But with cores made of
sand and extremely susceptible to
damage during transportation, special
arrangements had to be made.
"For them to do this we had to
develop a transportation process for
the cores on a scale we had not seen
before. Manufacturing Engineering
and Materials Management assisted
the Foundry in getting this done,"
Grant said.
Production Area Manager and Acting Foundry
The Foundry Maintenance team
Manager, Grant Mitchell
ensured the second of the two furnaces
involved for their dedication,
was rebuilt and completed its
professionalism and help in ensuring
commissioned and returned to full
that Holden did not lose any engine or
production by mid-November HR
vehicle production as a result of the fire.
and the various unions provided support
throughout the three months
"It was an incredible effort and one
of disruption.
from which we should and will learn a
great deal," he said.
Grant acknowledged everyone
Cosmopolitan
panels
A new $41.4 million AA class stamping line has been installed to press large body panels for future model Holden vehicles. Using dies from Japan, presses
from Korea and automation technology from Australia, the new press forms part of the $450 million capital investment program that is nearing completion at
Holden vehicle operations in South Australia. Completed during the Christmas shutdown, the new press will enable the local manufacturing operation to
exchange dies with GM plants anywhere in the world and deliver efficiencies by producing larger panels more quickly from a single action press. Our picture
shows leading hand, John Hancock and equipment suppliers bedding the dies on the new line.
PEOPLE
PAGE
4
People, t e c h n o l o g y a n d
product
partnership
The third stage of the $98.3 million
redevelopment of equipment and
processes to build future generation
Holden vehicles in the General
assembly has been completed at
Elizabeth. The work was part of a $35
million investment in technology at the
vehicle assembly plant between
December and January.
about," Craig said.
"We have now got some fantastic
and unique technology to be able to
produce vehicles but we also have to
be able to work with that technology
and our people have to be more and
more involved. It's about partnership
involving people and technology to build
a suitable product.
The final stage of the upgrade involved
the interior vehicle trim and cockpit
assembly lines. It followed last year's
14 bay, 3300 square metre extension to
the 25,400 square metre facility when a
more flexible vehicle conveyor system
and the previous year Dynamic Vehicle
Testing area were installed.
According to Craig, production personnel
had been receiving unprecedented
familiarization with the new assembly
line prior to the closedown period.
Hands on experience in building
vehicles using the new technology and
processes is part of the ongoing training
regime at the plant in the lead up to
production of the new Holden flagship.
General Assembly now enjoys the
flexibility needed to build a model mix of
all current variants, as well as this year's
much anticipated all new VE Commodore.
"VE has got to be the best product we
have ever made-second to none in the
plant and marketplace. With the choice
of products on offer from Australia and
overseas being so broad, it's now time
for us to launch our vehicle that will be,
in every respect, the envy of all car
owners In Australia and be the vehicle
that Is everyone's first choice. We've
got the processes and the people and
now we've got to implement the product
part of the partnership," he said.
Area Manager, Craig Schmidt, said
the work over the Christmas break was
the final link in the chain that connected
all equipment and processes required to
create a new era of general assembly
at GM Holden.
"From a manufacturing point of view,
this is raising the benchmark, that's
what the last three years have been
PEOPLE
PAGE
S
—
JANUARY
GM
S A L E S
HOLDEN
OVERVIEW
INDUSTRY
O V E R V I E W
I
Holden seized leadership of the passenger market in January
The market rose 0,4 per cent over the previous January to finish
jsh
with sales of 8,102 vehicles, 495 ahead of Toyota.
with a record January result of 70,003 vehicles sold compared
Commodore was the best selling car with 3,551 vehicles sold to
to 69,713 the previous January.
give it 41.1 per cent of the large car market. Ironically this was
Toyota was number one in January with sales of 14.383
Commodores worst result since January 1995. Falcon posted its
vehicles, followed by Holden's 11,503 and Ford's 7,435-
worst month since January 1993.
Toyota sales rose over the previous January but Holden,
Barina notched up its best January result ever (1,398). Viva also
Ford, Mitsubishi, Mazda and Nissan all experienced a drop in
posted a new all time record (696). Holden Ute outsold Falcon
overall sales.
Ute {1,391 V 993). Crewman posted a record January (480)
RKET
LEA
M A R K E T
L E A D E R S
TOYOTA 14,383
TOYOTA 14,383
HOLDEN 11.503
HOLDEN 11.503
FORD 7,435
FORD 7.435
MAZDA 5,384
MAZDA 5.384
HONDA 4,751
HONDA 4.751
NISSAN 4,065
NISSAN 4.065
HYUNDAI 3.595
HYUNDAI 3.595
MITSUBISHI 3,592
MITSUBISHI 3,592
SUBARU 2.711
SUBARU 2.711
KIA 1.562
KIA 1.562
4,500
HOLDEN
(YEAR
CAR
ASTRA
9,000
13.500
18.000
4,500
9,000
13,500
18,000
LINES
ASTRA
CONVERTIBLE
BARINA
VECTRA
VIVA
Jan 2006 sales:
1,767
Jan 2006 sales:
132
Jan 2006 sales:
1,398
Jan 2006 sales;
180
Jan 2006 sales:
Jan 2005 sales:
2,447
Jan 2005 sales:
133
Jan 2005 sales:
607
Jan 2005 sales:
311
Jan 2005 sales:
2006 YTD sales:
1,767
2006 YTD sales:
132
2006 YTD sales:
1,398
2006 YTD sales:
180
2006 YTD sales:
696
2005 YTD sales:
2,447
2005 YTD sales:
133
2005 YTD sales:
607
2005 YTD saies:
311
2005 YTD sales:
0
-
cRuze
696
0
• -.-^
COMMODORE
STATESMAN
Jan 2006 sales:
246
Jan 2006 sales;
3.551
Jan 2006 sales:
120
Jan 2006 sales:
17
Jan 2006 sales:
180
Jan 2005 sales:
262
Jan 2005 sales:
4,225
Jan 2005 sales:
259
Jan 2005 sales:
45
Jan 2005 sales:
144
2006 YTD sales:
246
2006 YTD sales:
3.551
2006 YTD sales:
120
2006 YTD saies:
17
2006 YTD sales:
180
2005 YTD sales:
262
2005 YTD sales:
4,225
2005 YTD sales:
259
2005 YTD sales:
45
2005 YTD sales:
144
Jan 2006 sales:
282
Jan 2006 sales:
1,391
Jan 2006 sales:
1,396
Jan 2006 sales:
86
Jan 2006 sales:
Jan 2005 sales;
84
Jan 2005 sales:
1,695
Jan 2005 sales:
1.874
Jan 2005 sales:
49
Jan 2005 sales:
0
2006 YTD sales:
282
2006 YTD sales:
1.391
2006 YTD sales:
1,396
2006 YTD sales:
86
2006 YTD sales:
60
2005 YTD sales:
84
2005 YTD sales:
1,695
2005 YTD sales:
1,874
2005 YTD sales:
49
2005 YTD sales:
0
ADVENTRA
UTE
(INC. ONE TON NER
CHEWr.lAN)
CAPRICE
COMBO
RODEO
PEOPLE ^ )
M O N A R O
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6
TIGRA
60
NE\A/S
Motor
show
magnets
Legends of the past joined flashes of
the future to create an automotive
product spectacle at the new Holden
stand at the Australian International
Motor Show in Melbourne.
The last of the current crop of Monaro
coupe tempted fans who turned to eBay
to register their bids for the motoring
icon that netted $187,600 for the
Leukaemia Foundation in the days that
followed. (Story page 3)
Efijy again proved to be a showstopper
and the striking T2X sports coupe showed
the possible shape of the future in
sports utility motoring.
Holden's second biggest selling
cariine, Astra, took on a new dimension
with the turbo diesel engine option
offered in Australia for the first time.
In a slightly off-beat twist to motorshow
mania, two diehard Holden fans chose
this hub of automotive engineering and
design excellence to exchange their
wedding vows. Tracey Hore and David
Mair of Skye in Victoria were married on
the Holden stand on February 14.
Show patrons continued to benefit
from the inside knowledge of the GM
Holden employees who volunteer to
work at shows around the country.
People spoke to some of the team
about their experience in Melbourne.
"From an employee perspective the
experience is definitely worth it. I work
in powertrain reliability, and specifically
Sedan
on Opel products, so it was great to
have the opportunity to hear what the
customer wants and enjoys in a Holden
product," Mark Barbaro, Powertrain
Reliability, Engineering said.
"There was a lot of interest in the
diesel Astra and it's good to see that
Holden has a competitor to the VW
Golf. The Efijy was definitely the star
attraction and there were a lot of
questions about whether or not it would
be brought to the market," he said,
Lau Lai Meng, Digial Sculpturing
Group, Design agreed.
-first f o r Barina
Holden has boosted its light car line-up
with the addition of the first sedan in
Barina's 21 year history.
Codenamed T250, the new generation
Barina sedan was developed by GMDAT
in South Korea and launched as the
Chevrolet Aveo in 2005. The car is known
as the Aveo in the USA and Europe. It
is the most popular sub-compact
nameplate in the United States, with
almost 70,000 sales in 2005, and is the
top selling Chevrolet model in Europe,
The sedan was created with significant
input from Australian designers and
engineers. A series of chassis and
suspension refinements, developed by
Holden chassis engineers, balances ride
comfort on Australian roads with precise
handling, roadholding and stability.
PEOPLE
1 ^
PAGE
y
"It's a good experience for us to be out
there and get more immediate feedback
on our products than we can from
magazines. I found it quite interesting
that people were surprised that we were
not trying to sell them something but
wanting feedback on the Holden
product," she said.
"I think the Efijy was the most striking
thing at the show in terms of the
workmanship that went into it, and the
finished product. It makes you very
proud to be associated with something
that really stole the show."
'MODEL
J
Mike Chester may have 30 years' industry expertise in clay
modelling, but his most recent project has put him on one of
the Steepest learning curves yet. Last year, Mike went back to
school in a bid to support GM Holden's professional
development of the next generation of automotive designers.
As part of an ongoing relationship
between the Bachelor of Industrial
Design course at Monash University in
Mebourne, and GM Holden, Mike
established the clay modelling course
and studio that supported eight young
aspiring designers through the final year
of their course. Three of those
graduates, Adrian Marcon, Drew King
and Joel Kong, recently signed
on for their first day of work at Holden
Design where they continue to benefit
from Mike and his modelling team in
their roles as associate modellers. "This
was another step initiated by Holden to
get the designers of the future involved
in clay surface development and to
understand how the automotive industry
works," Mike said,
"it was essentially Tony's (Design
PEOPLE
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8
Director, Antony Stolfo) initiative to
become more involved. PACE (Partners
for the Advancement of Collaborative
Engineering Education), set this up in
2004 with Alias workstations donated by
Holden and today Monash is the only
university in Australia that runs a clay
modelling course that is now entering
its second year," he said.
Clay is such a simple - even basic medium that it could be seen as an
anachronism in the high-tech world of
automotive design. Not so says Mike.
"Over the last few years there's been
a push to go to more computer
generated models. But math can wind .
up very stiff and we needed to get the '
feel back into some of the models. To
achieve that we found we were going in
FEATURE
"This was another step initiated by
Holden to get the designers of the
future involved in clay surface
development and to understand how
the automotive industry works."
MIKE CHESTER
and out of Alias or liand modelling to
get a better feel and ultimately, a
better shape.
"About 65 per cent of our modelling is
now digital. Of the 35 per cent that is
clay there's a lot of conceptual work
and then validation to prove out the
digital math," Mike said.
New recruits, Adrian, Drew
and Joel experienced Mike's
enthusiasm for clay modelling back In
the classroom where he helped them to
create their own unique concept
vehicles that were showcased
before an appreciative audience. Today
they are working amid some of the most
talented people and sophisticated
technology in a true automotive
design setting.
„
Joel King
in all, I'm looking forward to working
"At Monash there was a huge learning
curve in understanding the clay
modelling process, it has been amazing
to then come to Holden and see similar
processes used in a professional
environment on such large scales.
with the design team here at Holden."
I'm looking forward to using the skills I
learnt from Mike at Monash and being part
of the team that designs cars at Holden."
Adrian Marcon
"Industrial Design at Monash University
allowed me to do an automotive project
in the Honors year and it's now great to
be the industry that I hoped to enter. My
first impressions of Holden are all great.
It's a really enthusiastic environment to
work in and everyone's been friendly. All
PEOPLE
y&)
PAGE
9
Drew King
"The collaboration between Holden and
the university in creating a clay
modelling facility on campus allowed
our two dimensional dream cars to
become three dimension reality.
Through the process we took our modet
making skills to the next level thanks to
Mike Chester's coaching through the
clay mode! process. Now, working at
Holden, I am excited by the creative
and dynamic atmosphere. Holden
Design is a creative playground that I
am excited to be part of."
.
The team from Powertrain and Regional Engineering
Front: Mario lacobaccio, Jon Edsell, Josepli Bognarand George Gelagotis
Middle: Russell Higgins, Mark Andre, Ralph Braun, Makarand Bhagwat, George Zoublakis
(sitting) and Mark Archer
Back: Ed Douez, F^'chard Nietz, Graham Anderson, Michael Bahr, Adrian Constable, Huon Seymour, Mike Chang, Clare Barnett and Jangho Lim
Rodeo
drives
The first homegrown GIV1 Holden engine
to meet Euro 3 Emission standards is
now coming oif the production line at
the Global V 6 Engine Plant.
A modified version of the High
Feature V6 engine that went into
production in 2003, the engine has
been specifically engineered to power
the Holden Rodeo into a new Euro 3
era of global standards governing
emissions and fuel consumption that
came into effect on January 1 this year.
The engine is the work of a dedicated
team from Powertrain and Regional
Engineering at Fishermans Bend. It adds
another GM dimension to the complexity
of the Rodeo project that is platform
owned by Isuzu in Japan, built by GM
Thailand and powered by GM Holden.
Chief Engineer-Regional Engineering,
Graham Anderson, said the local engine
t o n e w heartbeat
benefits in terms of power and economy,
"The switch to the Holden
manufactured engine provides customer
benefits such as extra torque and
power. The engine is also smoother and
quieter than the Isuzu VQ that it
replaces," Graham said.
Early in the project, engineers had to
grapple with the restricted space
available for the new, replacement
engine that had to offer a solution for a
range of powertrain and driveline
combinations including manual and
automatic transmissions and two and
four wheel drive options.
The introduction of Australian Design
Rule 79/01 saw the addition of engine
onboard diagnostics - another
significant development and one that
posed a particular challenge to the
Holden calibration group.
Holden's domestic and imported
petrol vehicle range also complies with
strict Euro 3 (ADR79/01) regulations.
Federal Government legislation requires
all 2006 petrol engine cars and light
commercial vehicles to meet Euro 3
requirements - including new standards
for exhaust emissions and restrictions
on fuel evaporation.
In preparation for the new ADR
79/01 regulations, Holden introduced
new sealed heat soak facilities at its
Lang Lang Proving Ground to test
hydrocarbon evaporation emissions mainly from fuel but also other
hydrocarbons such as plastics. It
also built extensive cold-soak testing
facilities to conform to new sub-zero
temperature start-up emissions
restrictions introduced under
ADR 79/01.
•Fasttacts
The new Holden 6.0 litre alloy
engine, codenamed L76, delivers
260kW of peak power at 5600rpm and
510Nm of peak torque at 4400rpm.
Torque delivery is significantly
increased at lower
revs offering improved acceleration,
low speed engine response and
improved ease of towing than the
previous 5.7-litre engine. The
PEOPLE
PAGE
lO
engine will be used across all V8
variants in the Holden range. The
2006 Holden range is the first
application of L76 within General
Motors around the world.
aLOBAL
m
GLOBAL
SAAB AERO X CONCEPT UNVEILED
AVALANCHE HITS THE
Transmission facility for building a
In a world premiere, Saab lias unveiled
CHICAGO AUTO SHOW
new, rear wheel drive two mode hybrid
Aero X, its ultra-modern, aviation inspired
GM unveiled the all new 2007 Chevrolet
vehicle transmission.
concept car, at the Geneva Motor
Avalanche at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show In
Show overnight.
February. The Avalanche is the latest rollout
The new transmission will go into
production next year and will initially be
from the 2007 full size truck family - a group
used in GM's all new full s\ze sports utility
ethanol version of Saab's locally built 2.8
of vehicles which is defined by improved,
vehicles, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC
litre Global V6 engine, Saab Aero X
segment leading fuel economy, a sharp and
Yukon. The vehicles will be assembled at
harnesses the power of Saab's aviation
precise driving feel, increased interior
GM'sAriington plant, Texas.
and Scandinavian roots to make a unique
refinement, improved quietness and
statement in performance car design.
world-class safety.
Powered by a BioPower.lOO per cent
GM Chairman and CEO, Rick Wagoner,
said the two-mode hybrid transmission was
a key part of GM's unique strategy to offer
AUSTRALIAN DEBUT FOR
several different hybrid systems in a range
B O L D N E W S A A B 9-5
of popular vehicles.
With a face inspired by the Saab 9X
concept car and all new front bodywork,
EUROPE GETS A FEEL
Saab's flagship 9-5 range made its
FOR T H E CADILLAC
Australian debut at the Melbourne
An historical event occurred at GM's
international Motor Show in February.
56-year-old manufacturing site in Sweden
The new Saab 9-5 range, which will be
when the first production BLS luxury mid-size
released in Australia and New Zealand in
Cadillac sedan rolled off the assembly line
the second quarter of this year, has an all
at GM's manufacturing plant in Trollhattan,
OPEL COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
new, muscle bound appearance and a
Sweden, on Febmary 6.
ON T H E ROAD TO S U C C E S S
powerful road presence. Every element
BLS represents the continuing grovrth of
Commercial vehicles from Opel and its
forward of the A-piilar is a new design,
Cadillac in Europe and other markets outside
British sister brand, Vauxhall, continue to
including the fully integrated front bumper
Cadillac's traditional home market in North
enjoy growing popularity Commercial
and wide opening radiator grill.
America. BLS is an important addition to
vehicle sales in western and central
Under the bonnet, 9-5 boasts
our Cadillac portfolio; it provides a critical
Europe rose from 167,995 in 2004 to
performance and handling improvements.
entry on which to grow our business in key
180,582 last year, an increase of 7.5 per
The front assembly is 40 per cent more
international markets."
cent. The brands garnered a market share
rigid than its predecessor, with better road
of 5.5 per cent in 2005, setting a new
holding and steering precision.
record for Opel and Vauxhall in Europe.
Sales and market share rose in 14 of the
Until now, the manufacturing site has
produced only Saab vehicles. The
simultaneous production of both Cadillac and
F I R S T GM HYBRID TRANSMISSION
Saab in the facility was made possible by a
20 European countries in which Opel
GM will invest up to $118 million to
325 million Euro investment program begun
commercial vehicles are sold.
upgrade its GM Powertrain Baltimore
there in 2000.
P E O P L E (0i;
P A G E 11
R E O R L E
Global
gong
f o r die d u o
GM Holden die engineers, Michael
Atkins and Paschal Somers, have been
honored with a People Make Quality
Happen Team Award and GM
Chairman's Honors Certificate of
Recognition for their work improving the
way GM makes underbody parts.
The international recognition, dated
2004 but only recently presented, is
particularly poignant for Michael, Die
Program Manager, who is now in his
50th year with the company he joined
as an apprentice toolmaker. He and
Lead Process Planner, Pascal were part
of a globai team that worked variously
in Australia, with equipment
manufacturers in Japan and GM
colleagues in North America and locally
to develop the die process that
underpins future GM production.
"In some cases we were the first unit
globally to use some of the more exotic
high strength steels and the North
American team were certainly very
interested in watching what we were
doing," Pascal said.
morning and late night conference calls
as well as an 18 month stint with die
manufacturers in Japan.
Michael said the collaborative
development process involved many early
"I was working in Japan with the die
company manufacturing the tools,
Award recipients Pasclial Somers and IVIichael Atkins
interfacing with the North American
team, getting information and liaising.
There was a lot of learning on both
sides to deliver a very successful
program," Michael said.
H E A D B A R R I S T A I G N I T I O N C A F E HQ
does
191
How do you like the busy new cafe
at HQ191?
I think it's fantastic. We have created a
great environment for people to get out
of the office and meet up to enjoy a
good cup of coffee. The staff who work
in the cafe enjoy interacting with the
customers and visitors who like to try
our style of coffee. The busy times of
the day automatically create a good
social atmosphere amongst all the staff.
How many customers would you
serve in a shift?
During my shift the team makes about
500 coffees. The cafe opens at 7am
Monday to Friday, and my shift begins
at 6.30 am and finishes about 3pm. Our
main trade of coffee is served between
9am and 11am. It is very busy and
keeps us all on our toes. I'm hanging
out for a coffee myself by lunchtime.
visited the cafe. I haven't had the
chance to ask him if he enjoyed his
latte but I'm sure he did.
Have you poured a latte for any
particularly notable visitors?
Some people would say you are
the most important person in their
day. True?
Yes on a number of occasions V8
supercar driver Steve Richards has
Very true. The cafe provides excellent
coffee, great food and a fast service to
P E O P L E B3h
PAGE
12
help get employees and visitor's going
in the morning. We're also there to help
people get through the afternoon stretch
and make it to the end of the day. I've
been told the crew at Ignition cafe and
the beverages we serve have become
an important part of their day and they
don't know how they managed before
we had an Ignition Cafe.
D
M Y
C
Noise and Vibration technician, Scott
McDonald, thought his HQ One
Tenner was loud but now it's official.
Scott's treasure burbled an impressive
138.8 decibels into the sound level
monitor to claim the Loudest Car
trophy at the annual Show and Shine
extravaganza at the Proving Ground.
Mark Brzezoski's Formula 4000 roared
in a close second registering 138.1 to
prove that when it comes to loud cars,
the noise and vibration specialists are
in command.
The Show and Shine events,
held simultaneously at the Proving
Ground and Fishermans Bend on the
last working day before Christmas,
attracted record entries with about
30 and 80 car, truck, bike and boat
enthusiasts showcasing their
powered passions for the enjoyment
of colleagues.
AWARD RECIPIENTS WERE:
PROVING GROUND
Employees' Choice: Peter Walker
green HQ Monaro
Top Can
Warren Bolch
oranqe WB Ute
Top Bike:
Michael Watson Suzuki VL 800
FISHERMANS BEND:
Directors Choice:
Alf Moore
Redl-rrGTSIvtoraro
Employees' Choice: ivan Deak
Red HQ GTS ivlonaro
Best Original:
Anthony
Buttiqiea
Red VH Group 3
Commodore
Best Modified:
Matt CartiD
Blue EH 350 Ciiev
Best GM:
Max Vescovi
Yellow HQ GTS Monaro
Top Bike:
Alan TIdbury
Red BSA Ughlning
PEOPLE ^1)
PAGE
13
SERV^iCE
HONORS
Colop-Ful
career
move
Celebration
o"F s e r v i c e
Sharon Gauoi has taken up the
new position of Design Chief,
Color and Trim, GIVl Asia Pacific.
Sharon's appointment is one of six
made in Asia Pacific Design, with
the objective of further
strengthening the GM Global
Design team.
Sharon joined GM Holden in
2004 as Designer, Color and
Trim, and has worked with the
Design department on a number
of programs, including VE. An
Industrial Designer with more
than15 experience, Sharon has
worked extensively in the industry
having held previous roles with
Ford and BMW.
Sharon is based at GM Holden
Design where she reports to the
Director, Antony Stolfo, and works
closely with the Color and Trim
Design managers in the three Asia
Pacific studios.
Sharon Gauci
On hand to join long service celebrations and pictured from left were Maintenance Area IVlanager, Fred
Martin, Joe and Frank; Area Manager, Luke Danckert and Production Manager Assembly and
Fabrication, Dennis Biasotto.
Senior supervisors Joe Italia and Frank
Rasia, from Holden Engine Operations
kickstarted the year with celebrations to
mark of 75 years of combined dedicated
and uninterrupted service.
Frank joined Holden in 1966 as an
Apprentice Fitter and Turner in the plant
2 Toolroom. He has worked in various
departments learning new skills over the
years and currently works in plant 16 where
he looks after the running of Family 11
engine assembly. As a tradesman Frank
worked In the plant 1 looking after the
repairs and maintenance of plant and
equipment. In 1972 he was promoted to
Assistant Gear Specialist involved with
the development of the rear axle
transmission division. Frank was again
promoted in 1973 to the role of
Foreman maintaining plant and
equipment in various plants.
Frank recalls many highlights in his iong
career, in particular the changes that
have taken place in the running of the
business from L6, V8 and now Family II
four cylinder production, the development
of rear axle transmissions and the
achievement of 40 years of service.
Joe began his career as an apprentice
electncian in 1971 and today counts his
experience working with many tradesman
and supervisors and the start up of
Family 11 and now HFV6 assembly as
highlights of his 35 years of service.
After his apprenticeship, Joe worked
in Plant 10 crankshaft fabrication and
assembly until the start of Family II fourcylinder production in 1980. He was
promoted to the role of leading hand
and assisted in the start up of single
overhead camshaft head and camshaft
fabrication in plant 16. In 1987 Joe
became foreman looking after the running
of the plant 10 electronic department
where he worked for 10 years before
transfernng to Production. Joe is
currently the Senior Group Leader of
Maintenance in plant 10 looking after the
CNC components and double overhead
camshaft agile head fabrication lines.
40 Years
Nick L a m b r o p o u l o s
Material C o n t r o l
Manufacturing
M a r c h 30
Anthony C r o m w e l l
Current Platforms
Engineering
March 28
25 Y e a r s
Alan Price
Quality E n g i n e e r i n g a n d C h e c k i n g
Manufacturing
F e b r u a r y 18
Elizabeth Seabrooke
Quality O p e r a t i o n s
Manufacturing
March 21
PEOPLE
PAGE
14
ONTHE
O
MO\/E
t h e
Former GM Sales and Marketing
Controller, George Kapitelli, has
transferred from the Finance
Director's Office to the position of
Commercial Comptroller at General
Motors Shanghai.
George began his career at GM
Holden as a Budget/Costing Officer in
1987, progressing through a broad
range of finance functions, including
operations analysis, project
development and pricing before being
promoted to the role of Product Costing
Manager in Thailand in 1996. In 2000,
George transferred to Zurich as
Manager, General Motors Europe
Special Projects for 14 months before
being promoted to the role of Chief
Financial Officer Indonesia. George,
spent 18 months in Thailand before
returning to GM Holden as Controller,
Sales and Marketing.
Meanvi'hile, Bill Grotz has taken up
his new role as Manager of Internal
Communications for GM Asia Pacific
and GM Holden. He will be developing
the network of internal communicators
in the region and overseeing the
common internal communication
processes for both AP and GM Holden.
Bill will be based in Corporate
Affairs in Melbourne during his two
year assignment.
Bill joined General Motors in January,
2000 at the Flint Truck Assembly Plant
as a business communications
integrator. He had previously served as
a U.S. Army officer, specialising in
cross-cultural communications and
broadcast media. Bill was promoted to
Internal Communications manager in
2003, with responsibilities for
developing and distributing corporate
level strategic messages in addition to
supporting GM's network of internal
communicators. Bill has a Bachelor of
Science in General Engineering from
the U.S. Military Academy and a
Master's of Business Administration
from the University of Michigan.
In Engineering, Paul Gibson, has
been promoted and appointed Electrical
Engineering Group Manager. Before
taking up his new role on January 16,
Paul was in charge of managing
Engineer Electronics.
Former Commodity Manager of
Chemical ISUZU in Purchasing ISP,
John Lewer, has been transferred
to take on the role as Purchase
Manager of Powertrain SMT. John
will now work with the Powertrain
Purchasing Department.
And finally, since our last magazine,
Shaun Kennedy has changed roles
from Manager of GMS in Manufacturing
to the same role in the Material
Control Department.
•
.
'tl-i
George Kapitelli
March 12
Social club (SA) picnic, Angaston Oval - contact Don McLeod x 28384
March 1 3
Labour Day Holiday - (Victoria) and Adelaide Cup Day
March
Commonwealth Games - Melbourne
15-26
1
March 23-26
Clipsal 5 0 0 - A d e l a i d e - c o n t a c t Don McLeod x28384
March 25
End of Daylight Saving, AFL Season' 06 Football tickets Telstra Dome $25 and MCG $1 3 - excludes
blockbuster games which are priced separately - contact Tony Troon x 71644
April 3 0
Social club (Victoria) picnic, Manningham Park, Bacchus Marsh - contact Tony Troon x 71644
pGOpli
People is published by corporate affairs for
employees and retirees of GM Holden Ltd.
People is printed on chlorine-free
50 per cent recycled paper
A General Motors Company
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PEOPLE
PAGE I B
GM Holden R e t i r e e s
Club
President Ian Samuel 03 9802 6196
Secretary Leo Mahoney 03 9802 4121
5oc:i3) club
contacts
Tony Troon
Holden's Sports and Social Club
(Victoria)
03 9647 1644
Don McLeod
Holden Employees Social Club (Elizabeth)
08 8282 8384
MOTOR5RORT
VSs
racing
i n t o t h e IN/liddle
East
Motor racing circuits in the Middle East
will reverberate to the sweet sound of
Australian V8 machinery well before the
V8 Supercars land in Bahrain for the
first time in November, thanks to a
prototype Clubsport racer prepared by
Holden Special Vehicles and the Tom
Walkinshaw Performance Group.
HSV and TWPG collaborated on
modifications to the "Clubbie", recently
sending 20 of the vehicles to the Middle
East for a one-make racing series to build
on Holden's export success in the region
with Commodores and HSV products.
The left-hand-drive Clubsports will
make their racing debut as a support
category at the Formula 1 Bahrain
Grand Prix in March. The cars will be
raced in Bahrain, Qatar and Dubai
throughout the year.
Modifications to the standard
Clubsport package include additional
cooling for the engine, gearbox and diff
to cope with the expected high track
temperatures, upgraded front and rear
axles and suspension, six piston HSV
brakes, engine tuning, straight exhaust,
heavy-duty gearbox and shifter, a KAAZ
action rear diff, an FIA compliant roll
cage and boot-mounted refuel system,
and a race seat and harness.
Holden Racing Team driver, Mark
Skaife, who will spearhead Holden's
challenge at the V8 round in Bahrain,
said the modified racers were the
ultimate expression of HSV's "Race
Relations" message.
"It's a direct link between HSV and
the racetrack and a huge pat on the
back for our local product," he said.
"High power, low grip and rear-wheeldrive are the keys to why V8 Supercar
racing is so popular and we expect
these cars to built a real cult following."
"What this says is that HSV is
building a world-class product, and
gives both Holden and HSV a
springboard to further dive into the
lucrative Middle East market."
He said the organisers of the venture
had wanted a low-cost, low-hassle
racing formula.
Mark's HRT teammate, Todd Kelly,
was involved in the development and
testing of the Clubsport racer and said
the cars would provide plenty of thrills
for their Middle East participants
and audiences.
"They are not quite a V8 Supercar but
they're a bit wilder than your standard
Clubbie," Todd said.
"We have kept things
possible so that repairs
maintenance should be
and inexpensive," Todd
HSV and TWPG are also talking to
interests in China about a similar onemake series using the race-spec
Clubbies, and HSV has plans to make a
right-hand-drive variant available in
Australia in either complete or
component form.
pits
Who would have ever
thought that on a visit to
Perkins Motorsport you
would be greeted by a pot
plant in the foyer?
For those that know me
well it might be hard to
believe, but it is true.
There have been times in the
past when I reckoned that a sponsor
was an unwanted distracfion, they got in
the way of working on the car, but since
the recent announcement of our new
agreement with Jack Daniel's I feel like
a changed person, as does everyone
within our team.
as simple as
and
relatively easy
said.
LARRY
PHRKIN5
JACK DANIEL'S FJACING
Our mission is pretty simple win the V8 Supercar Championship with
our Jack Daniel's Racing Holden VZ
Commodores for either Steven
Richards or Paul Dumbrell.
Our quest has been further aided by
an increased commitment from Holden,
which allows us to substantially
increase our research and development
program in the never ending search for
greater performance.
Our first serious hit out for 2006 will
be at a two-day test at Winton.
Also attending will be three other
Holden and two Ford teams, so it will
be a good indication of where we stand
PEOPLE
PAGE
16
prior to the season beginning the
season on the streets of Adelaide.
The Clipsal 500 is one of the most
difficult races of the year on drivers,
teams and equipment, but if you are
able to bring home a strong result, it
can also be one of the most safisfying.
Our history there is good, and I
couldn't think of a better way to start the
season than to have a black Jack
Daniel's Commodore take the
chequered fiag - who says that good
guys can't wear black and never
come first?
Cheers!