The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-02
STUDEBAKER NOW
; SHIPPING NEW CARS
Conversion of Factories to
Peace Basis Accomplished
Sooner Than Anticipated.
ny II. a. BIGGs.
General sales Manager. stude-
baker Corpora ton.


Although the great Studebaker fac
tories at South Bend and Detroit were
practically on n 100 per cent. war basis
NJ the time OF Germanys capitulation,
shipments of new Studebaker cars are
now being made TO dealers from regular
production.
AS soon as the report Of the cessation
Of hostilties had been officially verified.
the vast resources OF the Studebaker
PLANTS were thrown into the problem
90 postwar production, with the result
that in less than sixty days new Stude-
baker cars were being placed in the
hands of our dealers throughout the
country.
This rapid. almost magical. transition
has been made quietly but with startling
thoroughness. 1t is typical. I believe
Of the resourcefuluess Of the industry as
whole. 1t offers another striking Illus
tration of the firm foundation on which
the automobile husiness rests, its per-
manence and stability. and the engl-
neering genius back Of the car itself.
Factories in any other line. faced with
s.milar perplexing problems of recon-
s,ruction. would find 1t difficult to per
form this quick Teadjustment in less
than six months or full year. hut, OF
course. not all automobile makers are
.nding 1t possible to effect such speedy
conversion of their plants to Il prewar
basis.
Manufacturers who are more or less
dependent upon parts makers for their
supplies must. rcrforce wait until vari-
Gus concerns have surmountcd their pa"-
ticular problems Until they are able
10 readjust their manufacturing facili-
lies to a peace basis some producers of
motor cars mus wait for necessary
units And 1t will probably be sew
ornl months before automobile produc-
ton IN general can be increased enough
"a take care Of the big postwar demand,
foreign as we'll as domestic
On December I. 1918. Studebaker
factories were practically 100 per cent
war work. And. in accordance with
the ruling OF the War Board prepare
lions were complete for the entire sus-
pension OF automobile production for
commercial needs the first OF the year
The signing of the armstice. however
brought about suspension of ali pas
sCngcr car restrictions and abrupt
cancellation Of most Government con-
tracts The suddenness Of the wars
domination did not stampede Americas
third largest industry. Just as IL was
one OF the first great industries to ad-
lust itself Ia wartime conditions and
become effective as a war agency. It is
row one of the first 10 get back to the
neace time basis. And with about a
million cars behind in production no
fears for the future OF this young giant
II tho industrial world need be enter
talned.
The complete conversion OF n manu-
featuring institution SO tremendous as
,itudebakcrs is not the work of day.
The conversion period will be short
one. however. as already evidenced by
Studebakers ability to make quantity
shipments OF new cars TO dealers at the
present time
As an example OF the ability OF the
Studebaker factories TO turn out new
cars in rapidly increasing numbers. [
might mention that the huge forge shop
1T South Bend. construction on which
was begun during the war. Is now turn
ing OUT quantities of drop forgings for
the new Studebaker cars. This new
chop intended rs a unit OF Studebaker's
big shell factory. is but one Of the sew
crai units that make up our new South
Tend automobile plant. Some OF the
buildings are completed and machinery
installed and the others are rapidly
nearing completion.
With this new plant in full operation
Studebaker will add approximately
1000 employees TO its army OF workers
and put into effect manufacturing plans
which call for a production OF 10000
automobiles for the year 1890. Begin
ming the first OF next year our sched-
ules require the annual PRODUCTION of
100. 900 four cylinder cars at the new
South Bend plant and 10000 SIX cylin-
der cars at the present plants at De-
troit