VIENNA Packard equips new plant

Delphi Packard is striving for zero defects at its new plastics location.
THE VINDICATOR, YOUNGSTOWN
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
VIENNA -- Installation has begun on the first new plastic molding machines to arrive at Delphi Packard Electric Systems' newest plant.
The first 15 machines arrived this week. After they are installed, crews will need a couple of months to test them before they are ready to begin producing parts, said Ann Cornell, a company spokeswoman.
All of the plant's 120 molding machines won't be in place until the fall of 2003, and the plant won't be fully operational until the end of that year.
The building in Aero Park was completed recently. Aero Park is an industrial park near the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport that is being developed by the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.
The $60 million Delphi Packard project is part of the company's effort to improve its production of plastic parts that are used in connection and electrical systems it produces.
Reason for move
Delphi Packard is moving the operation from its Dana Street plant in Warren because the plant doesn't have air conditioning, which is needed for machines to operate properly. It is buying new machines to improve product quality.
Delphi Packard is trying to build on the success of a similar plant in Cortland. It remodeled a former assembly plant and installed new plastic molding machines beginning in 2000.
The $42 million Cortland plant has been so successful in operating the advanced machines that no defective parts have been shipped to outside customers, although a small number have gone to other Delphi plants.
Cornell said the Vienna plant is different from the Cortland plant because it will use a variety of plastic compounds to make parts. The Cortland plant uses just one.
Cornell said the variety of plastic compounds has made it more of a challenge to set up efficient plant operations, but officials expect quality to be as good as Cortland's.
The two plants are being staffed with workers who are transferring from other Delphi Packard plants. About 160 work in Cortland, and about 180 will work in Vienna.
Delphi Packard, which is based in Warren, is part of Delphi Corp., which has headquarters in Michigan. Delphi Packard employs about 6,500 hourly and salaried workers in the area.
shilling@vindy.com