By Howard Greninger, The Tribune-Star
howard.greninger@tribstar.com.
TERRE HAUTE - A Wabash Valley manufacturer of high-precision automotive power train parts is ramping up its production and employment on the heels of the Chrysler Group resuming production in seven North American assembly plants.
One Chrysler plant resumed production last week and the rest will do the same starting Monday. All Chrysler plants will close for a previously announced two-week break in mid-July.
Chrysler and General Motors are two large customers of Morris Manufacturing, a fourth-generation, family-owned business at 1015 E. Mechanic St. in Brazil, about 15 miles east of Terre Haute.
Dean Decker, director of operations, said the company had planned for a slowdown well before the collapse of the two automotive giants, each of which declared bankruptcy. Morris Manufacturing had a layoff, but kept 35 core workers, all highly skilled or cross-trained as employees, Decker said.
Yet for the past three weeks, Morris Manufacturing has been recalling at least five workers a week to help increase production. The company now has 55 employees and expects to be at full operation in August with 135 workers, Decker said.
The company has been making parts for GM's power train plant in Strasbourg, France, and GM's assembly plant in Silao, Mexico.
"Approximately 25 percent of our General Motors product was international, and the bankruptcy filings didn't effect the international shipments," Decker said.
Decker said the company is focusing on new technology with GM "for some direct work for the two-mode hybrid as well as electric cars, so we are really focusing on new technology and things we know President Obama will be focusing on."
Chrysler and GM also are consolidating their supplier base, Decker said, "and one of our focuses was to ensure that we would be one of those suppliers remaining."
In addition to GM and Chrysler, the company in August will begin making brake anchor pins for Aisin Brake & Chassis Inc., located in the Vigo County Industrial Park, south of Terre Haute.
The anchor pins will be used by companies such as Toyota, Decker said: "We wanted to diversify our customer product some time ago and this will help open the door for that."
Decker said the company planned for a slowdown as the nation's economy struggled.
"We've kept our ear to the ground and have been involved in many teleconferences with the United States Treasury and General Motors and Chrysler. General Motors' communication to its supply base has been fantastic and GM has been very transparent with the information," Decker said.
"We see this [recession] as a little bump in the road. We tightened up our belt and will come out a lot stronger and larger on the other side," he said.
Morris Manufacturing was founded in 1962 and opened its Brazil facility in 1996. The company makes precision machined parts such as pinion gears, sun gears, ring gears, reaction shafts and anchor pins.