Bridgeton Industries
Bridgeton Industries Automotive Component and Fabrication Plant
The union has worked with us and has even led in cost reduction programs. Now corporate is talking about outsourcing additional products. What more can we do to keep the business?
mike lewis, plant manager
The Automotive Component and Fabrication Plant (ACF) was the original plant site for Bridgeton Industries, a major supplier of components for the domestic automotive industry. The history of the plant dated back to the 1840s when the adjoining river attracted mills that processed the rich lumber resources in the area. The site progressed through several industrial uses, including an early wagon works, until it was finally purchased by the founder of Bridgeton. He opened his first office there in the early 1900s.
All of ACF's production was sold to the Big Three domestic manufacturers. Competition was primarily from local suppliers and other Bridgeton plants. As long as the market was growing and dominated by U.S. manufacturers, this strategy worked. It became less effective when foreign competition and scarce, expensive gasoline caused domestic loss of market share. Suppliers found themselves competing for a shrinking pool of production contracts. Throughout the 1980s, ACF experienced serious cutbacks due to this competitive pressure. However, as the 1989/90 model year budget approached, ACF was still considered a critical plant. Model years ran from September 1 to August 31 and were the basis for budgeting. Production contracts were usually awarded for a model year.
THE ENGINE PLANT SHUTDOWN
ACF first felt the effects of domestic loss of market share in 1985. After the first oil crunch in the mid-1970s, Bridgeton had built two plants for manufacture of fuel-efficient diesel engines in anticipation of a continued growth in the market. One of these plants was at the ACF facility. When the growth in diesel-powered cars was not sustained, one of the
The union has worked with us and has even led in cost reduction programs. Now corporate is talking about outsourcing additional products. What more can we do to keep the business?
mike lewis, plant manager
The Automotive Component and Fabrication Plant (ACF) was the original plant site for Bridgeton Industries, a major supplier of components for the domestic automotive industry. The history of the plant dated back to the 1840s when the adjoining river attracted mills that processed the rich lumber resources in the area. The site progressed through several industrial uses, including an early wagon works, until it was finally purchased by the founder of Bridgeton. He opened his first office there in the early 1900s.
All of ACF's production was sold to the Big Three domestic manufacturers. Competition was primarily from local suppliers and other Bridgeton plants. As long as the market was growing and dominated by U.S. manufacturers, this strategy worked. It became less effective when foreign competition and scarce, expensive gasoline caused domestic loss of market share. Suppliers found themselves competing for a shrinking pool of production contracts. Throughout the 1980s, ACF experienced serious cutbacks due to this competitive pressure. However, as the 1989/90 model year budget approached, ACF was still considered a critical plant. Model years ran from September 1 to August 31 and were the basis for budgeting. Production contracts were usually awarded for a model year.
THE ENGINE PLANT SHUTDOWN
ACF first felt the effects of domestic loss of market share in 1985. After the first oil crunch in the mid-1970s, Bridgeton had built two plants for manufacture of fuel-efficient diesel engines in anticipation of a continued growth in the market. One of these plants was at the ACF facility. When the growth in diesel-powered cars was not sustained, one of the