International Truck and Engine Corp.’s launch in January of its new International ProStar Class 8 tractor is right on schedule, thanks to the $270-million transformation of its Chatham, Ontario, plant that manufactures the flagship aerodynamic tractor.

With the tractor already online and in production runs, the company plans a final quality review soon to ensure an all-go signal in January. Helping meet that schedule has been the major modernization of the Chatham facility, including a complete reconfiguration of the assembly line. The plant is playing a significant part in the tractor's dynamic innovations and in the expected daily production of a record number of tractors at the plant.
Just three-and-a-half years ago, International announced it was closing the heavy truck plant to address competitive market conditions. But the Canadian Auto Workers and the company worked together and secured financial support from Ontario and the Canadian government to modernize the plant. An estimated $270 million has been invested in technology, state-of-the-art equipment, a research-and-development facility, advanced skills and training at the Chatham facility, which employs about 1,700 workers.
The reconfigured assembly line helps streamline the ProStar tractor's production in several ways. The new line accommodates the ProStar's more modular production process. For instance, modules for its battery box/air tank, fuel tank module, pre-assembled and pre-painted chassis skirts and bottom-hinged, pre-assembled bumpers are all part of the new process design that improves line throughput and efficiencies.
Among other modernizing steps, a new chassis spray paint booth has been completed that improves paint coverage while reducing paint usage and also makes environmental improvements. And International officials have been working with ergonomic experts to identify and make jobs as productive, quality-conducive and ergonomically efficient as possible. Further, a relentless pursuit of continuous improvement in safety has been under way to ensure the plant and its employees can adapt to a changing workplace.
International Truck officials have set a detailed launch-readiness review process that maximizes the value of each build process and lets them review each functional area. A comprehensive ProStar training program also is well under way encompassing all functions and including a custom-made initiative to upgrade the skills of plant employees in a variety of areas. Further, the company has established a final-product quality audit for each shift. The audit reviews each of five tractors produced per shift with a set list of items from the customer's perspective. The Chatham plant aims to establish a workplace model for manufacturing long-haul and other trucks.