MONROE, Ohio (May 3, 2016)—UGN, Inc. recently announced the hire of James Blagg to oversee their Monroe, Ohio facility.
In his previous position as general manager of body assembly for Volkswagen Group of America in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Blagg hired and trained a 122-person assembly management team, implemented team member training for 1,500 employees, and developed a shop floor management system which reduced the ramp up curve by six weeks and moved up engine production by six months. He brings with him 15 years of experience in lean manufacturing, TPS training, management, and development.
As plant manager of the new UGN Monroe facility, Blagg leads the 150-person team to meet the high-quality standards already established by the six other facilities UGN runs in the United States.
“Blagg is a proven leader. He developed many systems and training plans designed to reduce costs and improve efficiency while with Toyota and Volkswagen,” says Peter Anthony, president and chief executive officer, UGN.
UGN expanded operations into Ohio in 2015. The 232,400 square foot Monroe facility supplies Honda Motor Co. with state-of-the-art carpet systems and underfloor technologies, which, until now, have never been made in the United States. The facility has room to expand into an additional 150,000 square feet when it begins supplying Toyota and Subaru.
