Rebuilding Harley-Davidson Plant with Machinery and Contininous Improvement Mindset

Four years ago, 89% of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers employed at the Harley-Davidson Inc. York, Pa  site accepted a concession-laden contract that would eliminate half of their jobs.  The company, struck by the recession, wanted to cut costs and was planning to do so either at the Pennsylvania site or by building a new facility in Kentucky. 

Without the contract, without the jobs, York was fated to close. "They voted to keep the jobs in York," says Jim Waltermyer, union president. Today, what is now referred to as New Factory York is a lean operation. 

The plant management used the restructuring in York as an opportunity to completely rethink its leadership structure and retool its operations -- to truly create a new factory. 

Learn why Harley-Davidson Inc. York, Pa.’s plant was chosen as a 2013 IW Best Plants winner.