James Harbour, a pioneer in manufacturing efficiency, dies at 86

Excerpts from Harbour's writingFrom his 2009 book, Factory Man:“On the factory floor there's no room for bullshit. I spent my life in the heat, stink, and grime of heavy industry, where America earned its break -- and still does, although it's hard to find anybody today who knows it.”“Now it's time to ask yourself: what's real? Where did the wealth come from that was so outrageously compounded through weird financial instruments by bankers and brokers who must have been totally out of touch with everyday American life?”“The story of the American industry in the last 60 years is my story. My family, rooted in the factory life, was scarred by the string of humiliation of the Depression.”“It was the Golden Age of the auto industry, and it lasted more than three decades after the war. When it finally ended, no one who had been wrestling with the problems of factory production was surprised. In particular, Detroit's collapse came as no shock to the few of us who had begun to pay attention to the rise of the auto industry in Japan.”“The nation's overall manufacturing competence will be at risk when the basics of automotive design and engineering are transferred to Japan, Korea, and China. But this doesn't have to be. I've worked for 30 years to prevent that, and if my story will do something to head that off, then I've got to tell it.”“[Factory workers] can be coarse and demanding but also passionate about what they're doing. Where do you find this passion today? It's in Japan, of course.” Automotive industry veteran James Harbour, who developed unprecedented ways to analyze and improve manufacturing efficiency, died Saturday at 86.Harbour is most known for creating The Harbour Report, which he established to study and rate the auto industry's manufacturing productivity.When he and his son, Ron, traveled to auto plants at the inception of The Harbour Report, the elder Harbour “was not just saying, ‘You’re not competitive enough,’ but ‘Here, let us help you,’” Harbour’s son and former Harbour Consulting President Ron Habour said. “Helping them get better was where the real value was.”James Harbour began working at Chrysler's Jefferson assembly plant as a teenager in 1946 before joining the Navy. He returned to Chrysler in 1957.“On the factory floor there’s no room for bullshit,” Harbour wrote in his 2009 book Factory Man. “I spent my life in the heat, stink, and grime of heavy industry, where America earned its bread -- and still does, although it’s hard to find anybody today who knows it.”Harbour spent almost 30 years at Chrysler and Ford Motor Co. before leaving in 1980 to form Harbour and Associates Inc.Studying ToyotaAfter studying Toyota Motor Corp. plants in Japan, Harbour revealed that Toyota could sell its cars in the U.S. for as much as $1,700 cheaper than its Detroit counterparts.The impact of The Harbour Report was immediate and led to manufacturing productivity improvements at plants across the world. Harbour ignited the competitive spirit of American automakers.“Part of his message was ‘You guys need to wake up,’” Ron Harbour said.Habour continues to carry out his father’s message.“If you are competitive, you have jobs and work and our country will be better,” he said.The report became the primary benchmark of U.S. auto manufacturing productivity. The release of the report was covered in depth by automotive journalists every year and plants atop the list would tout their achievement. But the success of the report initially came with notoriety among American automakers who were rated below Japanese manufacturers, Harbour wrote in his book.“The Big Three beat me up pretty badly and I have the scars to prove it,” he wrote.“He probably offended a lot of people because he didn’t kiss anybody’s butt,” Ron Harbour said, comparing his father to the late Joan Rivers. “[But] he had no prejudices, any race, color, creed or level.”Barra statementGeneral Motors CEO Mary Barra, in a statement released Sunday, said: "Jim Harbour was a visionary when it came to manufacturing productivity. He drove all of us to new heights of efficiency. Jim’s knowledge and passion for the manufacturing arena made the entire industry better, and by so doing, brought higher levels of product safety and quality to customers worldwide."“We are grateful for his many and lasting contributions, and extend both our thanks and condolences to the Harbour family on the passing of a great man."Harbour retired from Harbour and Associates in 1999. But The Harbour Report continued to be published for several more years and was led by Ron Harbour. Harbour's consulting firm was sold in 2008 to Oliver Wyman, a New York management consulting unit of Marsh & McLennan Cos. The report continues to be published by Oliver Wyman. James Harbour’s 2009 book recounted his efforts to improve U.S. manufacturing. Harbour dedicated the book to “all the middle-class workers who toil every day in manufacturing.” He continued to work on the board of his daughter Laurie Harbour’s company, Harbour Results Inc., in suburban Detroit. 'Tough and challenging'

James Harbour, a pioneer in manufacturing efficiency, dies at 86

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