Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance Marks Job One

The Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA; website) recently celebrated Job One at the second GEMA World Engine plant in Dundee, Michigan. GEMA is an international manufacturing joint venture, formed by DaimlerChrysler, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi. The three companies formed GEMA to share development and manufacturing for a state-of-the-art, world-class series of entry-level four-cylinder engines -- 1.8, 2.0 and 2.4 litre. Eventually, five plants are envisioned: two colocated plants in the United States, two in South Korea, and one in Japan. Fully operational, they will eventually produce more than 1.8 million engines each year. Inaugurating the two U.S. co-located plants in Dundee, Michigan, Governor Jennifer Granholm said: "Michigan is the global center for automotive innovation and excellence, and these engine plants show what can happen when state and local government support business to make our state competitive." DaimlerChrysler VP of Manufacturing, Frank Ewasyshyn, said: "At the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance, we've put the manufacturing processes in place to build four-cylinder engines that deliver exceptional performance, fuel efficiency, reliability and refinement. It's no secret: the World Engine is the right product at the right time." The three companies agreed to work together on the entry-level engine project in order to leverage their global purchasing power, engineering expertise, and production experience. The result is a series of entry-level four-cylinder engines that boast sophistication, low cost and manufacturability. Features include die-cast aluminum engine blocks, aluminum cylinder heads, intake manifolds with integrated flow control, dual-cam variable valve timing, refined mechanical valvetrain actuation, improved piston matching, along with bearings and tappets, acoustically isolating valve cover, an acoustically damped oil pan, and Mitsubishi-licensed balance shaft designs incorporating an integral oil pump. The engines will also meet ULEV II standards. Benefits accumulate not only in specifications, but also in areas such as R&D. For example, the basic world engine has logged more than 16 million equivalent customer-driven miles in testing. The GEMA Michigan plant is expected to employ as many as 600 workers, all represented by the United Auto Workers, local 723. GEMA President, Bruce Coventry, said: "Our expertise and value to the customer is in the designing high-precision machining, and assembly of engine blocks, cranks, and heads. This project will allow DaimlerChrysler to realize annual savings of $100 million and attain a leading position in the market for the world's best four-cylinder engines. The Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance enables us to fully benefit from our strategic partnerships and achieve maximum economies of scale."