Flexing muscle: Canada's auto sector seeks more manufacturing flexibility
By STEVE ERWIN, CBC News
'If the whole industry is moving to a smaller number of assembly plants, each one of those plants becomes much more important to the industry,' says Jim Stanford, chief economist with the Canadian Auto Workers union.
'That's what makes it especially critical for a place like Canada to make sure that it gets some of those flexible plants.'
So-called flexible sites allow automakers to shift production based on market demand - ramping up output of a popular one while decreasing production of a slower seller. The assembly line can be adjusted to accommodate different lengths and widths of body styles using the same equipment. Turnaround times can vary from a few hours to a few weeks, depending on the system's complexity.