Greetings everyone...it's been way too long since I updated this blog...so I have a few days off now and feeling a little full of energy, so I'm trying to get back up to date!
So much has happened since I last logged on...we started the plant and had a big celebration party, we went back to the US on an extended Christmas break and saw lots family and friends, we had a nice little stay in Hawaii and Korea, came back to China and I turned right around and went to France, then back to China to do a big Annual Plan day at work, and now we're off for Chinese New Year and January is already gone...wow!
Where to start?!!
I'll do separate entries for each I think...so I'll start with a big deal at work...the 'beginning of the plant'. If you have been following along on this blog, you know, we've been here since March 2010..working a a project to build and run a tire manufacturing plant. Well, back in July 2013, we made our first tires and now, we've begun to build up production in the plant. In order to celebrate a successful startup, we hosted a big party at a hotel here in Shenyang and below are some of the pictures from this party...over 500 (uniquely Michelin employees that had a part in the project) attending!
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| The screen at the party (like many things here in China, the venu was supersized!). On the screen is the vision of the plant..the great wall in the background reminding everyone we are in China, the Michelin Man front and center helping to build the foundation of the plant with the puzzle pieces that describe the plant we want to be and above it all, the Phoenix bird now flying. |
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| The Plant Staff Management Team raising a toast to the crowd for the beginning of the ramp-up |
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| Sarah signing the 'Memory Tree'. The project has been named "Phoenix" ( a mythical bird in Chinese history). The Logo for the project was the green bird head on the upper right...now that the plant is running, the bird is flying (and is shown as the flying golden Phoenix on the upper left). |
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| Sarah Miller with the 1st tire of the plant |
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| Part of the 'Memory Tree' for the startup of the plant...each fingerprint represents a leaf on the trees...symbolizing the many individuals who have played a role in building and starting up a huge project. |
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| A few of the many Chinese team members who have helped bring this plant online! |
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| A few of the many People from around the world who have helped bring this plant online...just at this 1 table there are 5 different Nationalities...but only 1 brand of Chinese beer! | |
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| A good mix of our Chinese and Expat colleagues...plus, you can start to see how big the room is! |
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| Andy Isbell front left really helped us early on getting some good capacity and staffing models together...and even 4 years later, we are still using and enhancing the same files...Good job Andy (Another American(! And Tim Guggisberg (yes, another American) is here leading the the huge rubber mixing project...without him and his project, I would not be able to do mine..so Thank you Tim! |
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| Another couple of Americans...David Davis and Dan Blattman...both helping to get the plant up and running! |
The pictures do not capture the wonderful team spirit and professionalism that has been evident in all phases of this project. Yes, there have been, and continue to be many challenges to overcome...yes, it really has taken people from all over the world to make this project work, and yes, I am very proud of leading this project from idea to feasibility to construction to startup and now rampup! I couldn't have done it without the love and support of my dear husband Rodney and all of the people shown in this room and in other rooms, people like you reading this blog literally all over the world praying for us and many others involved in training, engineering, purchasing, information systems...etc...too many to mention! Thank you!!
So now, we continue to ramp the plant up...next celebration...1 million tires...coming soon (I hope!) in 2014!
Sarah
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