Company Profile
AM General designs, engineers, manufactures, supplies and supports specialized vehicles for military and commercial customers. The AM General business units also include two wholly-owned subsidiaries, General Engine Products, a diesel engine manufacturer, and General Transmission Products, an automatic transmission manufacturer.
With headquarters in South Bend, Ind., major facilities in nearby Mishawaka, Livonia, Mich., Franklin, Ohio, and offices in Arlington, Va., AM General employs a workforce of approximately 2,500 and teams with more than 1,600 suppliers across 40 states. These range from large publicly owned companies to over 1,011 small businesses – including 64-women owned and 45 veteran and military service-disabled companies. Great care is taken to identify, select and develop business relationships that provide products and services at the lowest total cost and with the high quality and reliability for which AM General is known.
With a legacy dating back to America's first 4-wheel drive utility vehicle – the Willys Jeep of World War II -- AM General is best known today for its global leadership in the design, production, and support of the High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee), recognized as the most versatile, dependable, and mobile light tactical vehicle in the world. Humvees perform logistics, combat support, disaster relief, and many other roles for the U.S. armed services, plus over 50 allied and friendly military forces and even NASA. AM General provides engineering, parts and logistical support for Humvees worldwide – from the combat theaters of Afghanistan and Iraq, to Army and Marine bases, reserve and National Guard centers, and the military depots where Humvees are rebuilt and refitted to continue serving multiple missions.
Today, AM General is partnered with General Dynamics Land Systems to develop a new family of vehicles for U.S. and allied forces, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Their joint venture of General Tactical Vehicles received one of three Technology Development contracts awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense in October 2008 for the JLTV.
AM General is looking to the future on the commercial side of business as well. Building on a legacy of assembling the HUMMER® H1 and H2 for consumer and commercial customers, AM General is the contract manufacturer of the MV-1 for The Vehicle Production Group. The MV-1 is the only purpose-built vehicle designed from the ground up for wheelchair accessibility meeting or exceeding guidelines in the Americans with Disabilities Act. It also will be the only vehicle in its class with a factory installed Compressed Natural Gas fuel option.
Further extending AM General's experience in alternative powertrain integration, the company is collaborating with Azure Dynamics to produce the Transit Connect Electric, the all-electric version of Ford Motor Company's award-winning Transit Connect light-duty cargo vehicle. With final assembly at AM General's Livonia, Mich. facility, the Transit Connect Electric is an ideal choice for commercial vehicle customers in urban and suburban environments.
Legacy of Innovation
Practically unique in the history of U.S. military procurement, the Humvee illustrates one company's ability to evolve a military vehicle to meet changing requirements on the battlefield. AM General has combined innovative design, skilled engineering, new technologies and state-of-the-art manufacturing to transform the Humvee from a capable logistics truck to an armored combat-support workhorse supporting more than 70 mission profiles in the world's most extreme environments.
The history of AM General stretches back to the transitions from horse-drawn carriage to the early car, making the company one of the surviving pillars of the American automobile industry. Among the historic milestones:
| 1903: | the Standard Wheel Company of Terre Haute, Ind. expanded its bicycle operation to manufacture motor vehicles, starting with the Overland "Runabout." |
| 1940: | The Willys Jeep, America's first 4-wheel-drive quarter-ton tactical utility truck, is designed and manufactured for the U.S. military, leading to the production of more than 630,000 vehicles between 1940 and 1985. |
| 1960: | Bid is won to develop and produce a half-ton delivery van for the U.S. Postal Service. More than 14,000 of these half-ton vehicles are produced, to be followed by more than 150,000 quarter-ton "Dispatcher" vehicles for USPS, police departments, utility companies and small package delivery firms. |
| 1964: | Nearly 112,000 5-ton and 150,000 2 1/2-ton trucks are produced for the armed forces of the free world. |
| 1983: | Initial U.S. Army contract is won to produce 55,000 Humvees in five basic models and 15 different configurations over a five-year period. More than 270,000 Humvees are produced by 2011, including the fully armored models needed for combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| 1992: | AM General introduces the HUMMER as "the world's most serious 4x4" after its military cousin, the Humvee, receives acclaim in Operation Desert Storm. |
| 1999: | The HUMMER brand is acquired by General Motors, with continuing assembly, parts, training and warranty support of the HUMMER H1 by AM General under contract. |
| 2002: | AM General begins assembling the HUMMER H2 for GM in a new, state-of-the-art commercial manufacturing center in Mishawaka, Ind. |
| 2005: | To meet requests for increasing numbers of armored Humvees for U.S. military forces, AM General begins production-line installation of modular armor in a dedicated 75,000-square foot armor assembly building adjacent to the HMMWV plant. |
| 2008: | The AM General – General Dynamics Land Systems team of General Tactical Vehicles wins one of three contracts to develop the next-generation JLTV. |
The innovations AM General has contributed to the American automobile industry include a Central Tire Inflation System used on 5-ton trucks featuring driver-activated dashboard controls that altered tire pressure to suit terrain conditions while the vehicle was in motion.
For the HMMWV program, AM General developed unique geared hubs to double the torque available to the wheel without the size and weight that otherwise would be required. Later improvements and modifications to meet the U.S. military's evolving needs have transformed the original 1¼ payload truck into an armored expanded-capacity vehicle for payloads up to 5,100 pounds and a gross vehicle weight rating up to 13,100 pounds. The Humvee platform today supports more than 70 mission profiles – from cargo and troop carriers to armament, TOW missile and special operations vehicles.
AM General also pioneered the use of modular armor that can be augmented or removed to support a variety of missions in a wide range of scenarios – from combat and special operations to homeland security and disaster response by National Guard and Reserve units. The U.S. Army has adopted this approach for other military vehicles, including the JLTV and other future programs.
On the support front, AM General's innovations include classroom instruction for military teams, a test track, and 180-acres off-road trails and obstacle training at its Chippewa facility in South Bend, Ind. For example, in a five-day Advanced Mobility/Maintenance/Battle Damage Assessment and Repair (BDAR) course, military students learn how to maximize the off-road capabilities of Humvees with advanced mobility driving techniques, field vehicle recovery, and battle-damage repair techniques. To support the recapitalization of Humvees, AM General also developed a "Customer Pay" program that ensured parts needed for refurbished and rebuilt Humvees were received at military depot assembly lines at the right time, with AM General shouldering responsibility for inventory and supply chain management. The government customer paid when parts were delivered to the assembly line, without the earlier need for extensive stockpiling of parts. According to the Army, this yielded cost savings of 6.6 to 8.7 per cent per vehicle by reducing unneeded spare parts purchases and nearly eliminating production line interruptions.
Focus on Quality
AM General is also a recognized leader in high-quality manufacturing. The tenets of LEAN manufacturing have been embraced throughout the company for greater efficiency. The company's vehicle assembly plants have achieved ISO 9001:2000 registration from the Quality Management Institute (QMI), an internationally recognized independent registrar company and the Humvee was the first tactical military vehicle to meet this standard designated by the U.S. Department of Defense as the quality system of choice for its suppliers.
Similarly, AM General's engine manufacturing subsidiary, General Engine Products, is registered to QS-9000: 1998. This exceeds ISO standards and encompasses the assembly and distribution of diesel engines produced by GEP.
Recognizing the company's manufacturing prowess, the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) awarded AM General five Honorary Service Awards for exceptional performance in meeting cost, delivery and performance requirements for the HMMWV program. During the 2008 ceremony presenting the awards, senior DCMA representatives cited the quality of the latest-model armored HMMWV and the company's commitment to constant improvement of the vehicle through interaction with the customer, including warfighters in the field.
The DCMA honors marked the first time any civilian contractor has received these awards, in the past having recognized only military agencies.
Service Commitment
In 2008, AM General also received the Defense Logistics Agency's Outstanding Readiness Support Award in the large business category for outstanding support to on-going U.S. military operations. The award recognized "extraordinary customer support, service and product provided directly in response to a crisis situation," referring to AM General's on-going commitment to provide spare parts for the many model and mission variations of the High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) operating in Iraq, Afghanistan and other deployed locations. A related DLA news release said,
"This performance has been especially important because of the instrumental role the HMMWV is playing in the Global War on Terrorism and other U.S. military missions overseas. The partnership between DLA and AM General has reduced administrative and production lead times, lowered costs, and enabled the partners to develop and test processes and to track performance — all with the goal of providing world-class readiness support to the war-fighter."
In addition to spare parts support, AM General has ensured continuous design improvements approved by the military to increase the performance, payload, and crew protection are rapidly integrated into Humvees used by U.S. operating forces overseas. These upgrades include mission-flexible armor protection, improved engine cooling, reinforced suspension to handle increased loads and many others. AM General field service employees work in combat theaters to ensure soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen have the parts, equipment, guidance and support needed to make such modifications. The entire company is focused on providing this hands-on global support to our military forces – from AM General's engineering R&D center in Michigan, to manufacturing plants, parts warehouses, and depot support facilities.
Services and support provided by AM General come from specialized centers integral to the company:
Service Parts Logistics Operations (SPLO)
AM General's SPLO division provides a full range of services including hands-on equipment training, all levels of driver training instruction, field service support, and award-winning supply chain management. SPLO sources, manages and delivers over 35,000 genuine HMMWV parts for Humvees in service, ensuring precision fit and durability. Technical support is available toll-free, online and through AM General field-service specialists stationed at Letterkenny Army Depot, Red River Army Depot, Yuma Proving Ground, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maine Military Authority, and more than a dozen locations in Southwest Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America. SPLO also provides parts, training, warranty and customer satisfaction support for the H1 HUMMER in collaboration with General Motors. Supply Chain Management provides purchasing and business expertise to identify, select and develop business relationships that provide products and services at the lowest total cost.
Integrated Logistics Support
AM General's Integrated Logistics Support Team provides global support to optimize total life-cycle performance. Areas of expertise include all elements of ILS — maintenance planning, manpower, personnel and human factors, military packaging, interactive technical manuals with Class V diagnostics, spare/repair-parts provisioning, new equipment fielding support, and training and design interface and integration. ILS supports the HMMWV family of vehicles plus the U.S. military's medium and heavy tactical trucks, bridging equipment, mine-detection vehicles, petroleum and water supply systems, and other equipment.
System Technical Support
AM General's STS team has demonstrated its ability to support virtually any system, having received a multitude of engineering contracts from both the U.S. government and private industry alike over the past 40 years. This support ranges from engineering design concept and stress analysis to prototype development, production planning, and legacy support.
General Engine Products
As a wholly owned subsidiary of AM General, General Engine Products produces the OPTIMIZER 6500, 205 HP, V-8 diesel engine and the OPTIMIZER 3200, 250 HP, V-8 diesel engine at its 92,000-sq.-ft. Franklin, Ohio assembly plant. These engines can be found in new military HMMWVs, in civilian HUMMER® H1s, as a service replacement engine for numerous vehicles and in marine applications and in future projects like the JLTV. General Engine Product's modern engine facility went into operation in July 2000.
General Transmission Products
General Transmission Products is the latest addition to AM General's subsidiaries. General Transmission Products produces the 4L80E transmission, formally manufactured by General Motors Powertrain. The 4L80E is a mainstay in both military and commercial vehicles and is produced to the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) specifications.
International Business
AM General is the premier provider of tactical wheeled vehicle solutions in the world, with more than 36,000 Humvees in use in 53 countries worldwide. In the 25 years the Humvee has been in continuous production it has proven to be the vehicle of choice for a wide range of geographic and mission profiles and remains an innovative, cost-effective mobility solution, tailored to client needs. The continued use of the vehicles fielded since 1985 is testament to the quality and durability of the Humvee, as well as AM General's strong commitment to sustaining the vehicles in to the future not only by building the most versatile, dependable, and mobile light tactical vehicle in the market, but also by providing a total package solution to include training, parts and support to the user in the field.
Included in the roster of its more than 50 global customers are Iraq and Afghanistan, where AM General has been at the forefront in supporting the U.S. in the establishment of strong and mobile local forces.
AM General also has joined with other leading defense contractors around the world to develop vehicles based on the HMMWV chassis or drivetrain and suspension components. The Mowag Eagle I-III and the Otokar Cobra have been designed, tested and produced to be unique vehicles that provide the outstanding mobility and performance of the HMMWV combined with the reduced logistical costs of an existing global network for support and service.
People with Pride
AM General's 2,500 employees include the proud members of United Auto Workers Local 5, established in 1933 and today the oldest UAW union shop in the nation. Their commitment to quality is evident in every Humvee leaving the factory and heading for American and allied forces. Many of these employees are themselves combat veterans, members of the military reserves and National Guard, or have family members serving on active duty.
Throughout the ranks of AM General are employees with up to 20 to 40 years of experience developing, building, and supporting military, commercial and consumer vehicles, constituting a unique and valuable industrial resource for the United States.