CAMI Automotive
Encyclopedia
CAMI Automotive, originally known as Canadian Automotive Manufacturing Inc., was an independently incorporated
joint venture
of automobile
manufacturing in Ingersoll, Ontario
, Canada
and formed the third step of GM's three-pronged initiative of the mid-1980s to capture and practice the Japan
ese mystique of automotive management. The other two were NUMMI
in California
with Toyota and Saturn Corporation, the latter a wholly owned alternative to apply its learnings into practice. CAMI was the least successful of the trio for decades, but is now the sole survivor.
CAMI is completely owned by General Motors of Canada. Prior to December 2009, ownership of CAMI was split 49-51% between Suzuki
and General Motors of Canada Ltd.
, the former of which withdrew from the venture after poor sales of its CAMI-manufactured models. The plant currently produces vehicles based on GM's Theta
platform for crossover SUV
s.
CAMI Automotive currently employs 2,772 employees. There are 570 acres (2.3 km²) of property as well as 1.7 million
sq.ft. of floor
space. CAMI uses the CAMI Production System (CPS), a set of operating philosophies that guide team members in manufacturing vehicles. The basis of the system is working in teams performing standardized work.
In the 2005 Harbour Report, CAMI was ranked No. 3 in truck
assembly
in the Small SUV category of the 45 auto assembly plants in North America
.
and the GMC Terrain
crossover utility vehicles for General Motors
.
Incorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
of automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
manufacturing in Ingersoll, Ontario
Ingersoll, Ontario
Ingersoll is a town in Oxford County on the Thames River in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The nearest cities are Woodstock to the east and London to the west....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and formed the third step of GM's three-pronged initiative of the mid-1980s to capture and practice the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese mystique of automotive management. The other two were NUMMI
NUMMI
New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. was an automobile manufacturing plant in Fremont, California, opened in 1984 and closed in 2010. On October 27, 2010 it reopened as a 100% Tesla Motors-owned production facility, known as the Tesla Factory...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with Toyota and Saturn Corporation, the latter a wholly owned alternative to apply its learnings into practice. CAMI was the least successful of the trio for decades, but is now the sole survivor.
CAMI is completely owned by General Motors of Canada. Prior to December 2009, ownership of CAMI was split 49-51% between Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
and General Motors of Canada Ltd.
General Motors Canada
General Motors of Canada Limited is General Motors' Canadian division. Its national headquarters office, Canadian Regional Engineering Centre, and main manufacturing plants are located in Oshawa, Ontario. GM Canada is 100% owned by GM.As of Apr...
, the former of which withdrew from the venture after poor sales of its CAMI-manufactured models. The plant currently produces vehicles based on GM's Theta
GM Theta platform
Theta is General Motors' compact and mid-size crossover SUV automobile platform. The architecture debuted in 2002 with the Saturn Vue and was later used for the Chevrolet Equinox and Captiva and similar models.-Development:...
platform for crossover SUV
Crossover SUV
A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...
s.
CAMI Automotive currently employs 2,772 employees. There are 570 acres (2.3 km²) of property as well as 1.7 million
Million
One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
sq.ft. of floor
Floor
A floor is the walking surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many-layered surfaces using modern technology...
space. CAMI uses the CAMI Production System (CPS), a set of operating philosophies that guide team members in manufacturing vehicles. The basis of the system is working in teams performing standardized work.
In the 2005 Harbour Report, CAMI was ranked No. 3 in truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
assembly
Assembly line
An assembly line is a manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner using optimally planned logistics to create a finished product much faster than with handcrafting-type methods...
in the Small SUV category of the 45 auto assembly plants in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Current Products
CAMI currently manufactures the Chevrolet EquinoxChevrolet Equinox
The second generation Equinox was announced by GM on December 21, 2008, and debuted at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The 2010 Equinox went on sale in June 2009. It is built on a stiffened version of the same "Theta" platform used in the previous model. The new Equinox...
and the GMC Terrain
GMC Terrain
The GMC Terrain is a mid-size crossover SUV. According to GM, it replaced the GMC Envoy, the Isuzu Ascender, which was discontinued after Isuzu stopped selling their automobiles in America, and Pontiac Torrent, which was sold in the same dealerships prior to GM dropping the Pontiac brand.. Like the...
crossover utility vehicles for General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
.
Historical timeline
- 1986 - CAMI Automotive established
- 1989 - Production of J1 (Suzuki Sidekick and Geo TrackerGeo TrackerThe Chevrolet Tracker, formerly the Geo Tracker, is a mini SUV produced for Chevrolet and Geo by CAMI Automotive in Ingersoll, Ontario. Although appearing as a compact SUV, the Tracker was actually certified as a Light truck due to its off-road capabilities.-First generation: The Geo Tracker was a...
) and M2 (Geo Metro) begins. - 1993 - Total CAMI production reaches 500,000
- 1994 - Production of M3 (Geo Metro and Pontiac Firefly) begins.
- 1996 - Total CAMI production reaches 1 millionMillionOne million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
vehicles. - 1998 - Production of J2 (Suzuki Vitara and Geo TrackerGeo TrackerThe Chevrolet Tracker, formerly the Geo Tracker, is a mini SUV produced for Chevrolet and Geo by CAMI Automotive in Ingersoll, Ontario. Although appearing as a compact SUV, the Tracker was actually certified as a Light truck due to its off-road capabilities.-First generation: The Geo Tracker was a...
) begins and CAMI receives ISO 9002 registration for its Quality Management System. - 2000 - CAMI receives ISO 14001 registration for its Environmental Management System.
- 2003 - Total CAMI production reaches 1.5 million vehicles.
- 2004 - Production of Chevrolet EquinoxChevrolet EquinoxThe second generation Equinox was announced by GM on December 21, 2008, and debuted at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The 2010 Equinox went on sale in June 2009. It is built on a stiffened version of the same "Theta" platform used in the previous model. The new Equinox...
begins. - 2005 - Production of Pontiac TorrentPontiac TorrentThe Pontiac Torrent is a sport utility vehicle that was offered by the Pontiac division of General Motors, being the successor of the discontinued Pontiac Aztek. It was manufactured at CAMI Automotive in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada, and it replaced the U-body Aztek as the company's crossover SUV...
begins - 2006 - Production of Suzuki XL7 begins.
- 2009 - Production of Suzuki XL7 put on indefinite hold.
- 2009 - Production of GMC TerrainGMC TerrainThe GMC Terrain is a mid-size crossover SUV. According to GM, it replaced the GMC Envoy, the Isuzu Ascender, which was discontinued after Isuzu stopped selling their automobiles in America, and Pontiac Torrent, which was sold in the same dealerships prior to GM dropping the Pontiac brand.. Like the...
begins. - 2009 - Suzuki withdraws from venture; gives General Motors full control.
See also
- United Australian Automobile IndustriesUnited Australian Automobile IndustriesUnited Australian Automobile Industries was a firm founded in Australia in 1989 as the result of an agreement between Holden and Toyota. For Holden, it replaced the earlier Holden-Nissan joint venture that had existed since 1983.UAAI produced three vehicles: the Holden Apollo, Holden Nova and...
(UAAI) — A similar joint venture in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
between Toyota and GM-HoldenHoldenGM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
from 1989 to 1996. - NUMMINUMMINew United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. was an automobile manufacturing plant in Fremont, California, opened in 1984 and closed in 2010. On October 27, 2010 it reopened as a 100% Tesla Motors-owned production facility, known as the Tesla Factory...
— A similar joint venture in United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
between Toyota and General MotorsGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
from 1984 to 2010; now a joint venture plant between Toyota and Tesla MotorsTesla MotorsTesla Motors, Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based company that designs, manufactures and sells electric cars and electric vehicle powertrain components. It was the only automaker building and selling a zero-emission sports car, the Tesla Roadster, in serial production...