CAMI Automotive

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CAMI Automotive is 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 Japanese mystique of automotive management. The other two are NUMMI in California and Saturn Corporation in Tennessee.

Ownership of CAMI is split 50-50 between Suzuki and General Motors of Canada Ltd.. The plant currently produces vehicles based on GM's Theta platform for crossover SUVs.

CAMI Automotive currently employs 2,772 employees. There are 570 acres 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.

[edit] Historical timeline

1986 - CAMI Automotive established
1989 - Production of J1 (Suzuki Sidekick and Geo Tracker) and M2 (Suzuki Swift and Geo Metro) begins.
1993 - Total CAMI production reaches 500,000.
1994 - Production of M3 (Suzuki Swift, Geo Metro and Pontiac Firefly) begins.
1996 - Total CAMI production reaches 1 million vehicles.
1998 - Production of J2 (Suzuki Vitara and Geo Tracker 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 Equinox begins.
2005 - Production of Pontiac Torrent begins.
2006 - Production of Suzuki XL7 begins.