Detroit evening times., 1941-12-12
Sloan Reports
GIN War Output
Beats Schedule
Cadillac, Fisher
Rushing Plans
for Tank Making

for Tank Making
The combined rate Of compile
ton for FIVE major types Of de
fense products currently in pro
duction IN General Motors plants
having an aggregate contrac
value Of S720 100000 is ahead o
schedule. j. was revealed today by
Alfred p Sloan Jr. chairman O
the corporation. in a defense pro
duction progress report 10 stock
holders that was prepared before
the declaration Of war this week
work Il being pushed for
ward with the greatest energy
on assignments already re-
ceived." Mr. Sloan stated in his
message. I'm some cases II has
heen possible 10 complete the
installation of the necessary
special facilities ahead Of sched-
ule. Unusual production achieve
ments have In some instances
permitted rapid acceleratiOn Of
deliveries. Conspicuous In this
category is naval gun housing
production for which the Fisher
Body plant engaged in this work
has received the navy "E'
award for excellence. In the
case also of shells. machine
guns and Of Diesel engines for
naval use. volume Of deliveries
Il well ahead of original sched-
ules.
DELIVER ALLISONS
Total deliveries Of Allison
engines. based on dollar volume,
were rapidly reaching original
contract schedules at the end Of
the third quarter Of 1941. They
were equivalent to 81 per cent
of original schedules rs prof.
ected for that time. II Is
matter of satisfaction to he able
to report that the production Is
now at the full scheduled rate.
Furthermore. 1t Is expected very
shortly to overcome the short
ages that occurred during the
initial stages OF the program
when Allison production was
handicapped by rapid and re-
peated expansion Of facilities
and - to some degree - by the
necessity for making changes to
adapt the engine to alterations
In plane design.
Besides these Ave special
items. other defense materials,
including trucks and transport
equipment Of many kinds more
clearly within the area Of the
corporations normal activities.
are currently being delivered In
volume 10 the defense authori-
ties.
"In addition to the items al
ready In production. work Is
progressing rapidly on iHstalia-
tion of tools and equipment for
other important assignments.
such as Pratt & Whitney air
craft engines to be built by
Buick and Chevrolet and various
other projects undertaken by
other divisions. Facilities for
production Of bomber parts and
sub-assemblies by Fisher Body
are approaching completion and.
In fact. this division is already
In production on a considerable
number Of the items that COM
prise Its part In the bomber
program.
STARTING ON TANKS
"a more recent development
II a project calling for the pro-
duction by Cadillac and Fisher
Body Of light. me ium and
heavy tanks, including In some
Instances the supplying Of power
plants. IL must Of course he
kept In mind that preparation
for highly technical and en-
tirely new production work nor
maIIy requires period ap-
proaching a year, even though
there IL no undue delay In pro-
curement of tools and special
facilities. and that between the
time that production can start
and the point Of maximum pro-
ductivity. stiIl further time must
eIapse.
"In all defense activities,
whether those Of production or
of preparation, General Motors
Il concentrating Its best talents
and efforts. The problems In
many instances are very great.
and at times tax the resources
even Of an organization schooled
In hexibility Of program. tech
nicaI accuracy and quantity pro-
duction. The aim IL not only tn
meet hut. wherever possible. Ia
surpass original schedules. De
fense comes first In Genera
Motors - To the end that
through the most efficient pos
sibie utilization of the organi-
zation's ability to produce. Of Its
engineering and management
skill, both current obligations
and broad responsibilities may
ne fully met"