Three Rivers Plant Start Up
Hydramatic Plant - Three Rivers, Michigan
I was one of the first employees hired at the Three Rivers Hydramatic plant. The original part of the plant had been a Continental Can paper plant. An addition was put on the north end. I was the Process Engineer for the North Wing. I had spent the first 13 years with GM as a tool and die maker. I utilized the tuition refund plan to attend college. I had just graduated from college, so Tree Rivers was my first salaried job.
We had a great team all working hard, going above and beyond to make the new plant work. Both hourly and salary worked together to bring the plant together. I saw hourly folks take their own vehicles to pick-up pilot and tryout parts to maintain the start-up schedule. Most of the machine run-offs I attended included a leader or job setter to get their input early in the process. We purchased electric dipsticks to keep the hydraulics fluid when the roofer contractor went on strike so we could continue to set-up machines to meet the schedule. The salaried team worked endless hours to set up the all the systems that an existing facilities take for granted. The maintenance crib needed to be built and stocked, purchase orders for basic supplies for the plant needed to issued (including cleaning supplies, toilet paper etc.) and Human Resources needed their process in place.
I went to Maine, Ohio, Canada, and Illinois, as well as Michigan, to "run off" all the machinery in the North Wing. Other engineers did the same for the South Wing and the Assembly area.
Without the dedication of the whole team we could not have got the plant running on time.
Note: The Three Rivers plant (GM Saginaw Division) was operated by Hydra-Matic Division from 1983-1990.
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