Emira photos from the factory

[TomE]

In the past Lotus have worked a 4.5 day week for 50 weeks.

I gather it’s quite common in UK manufacturing to finish at midday on Friday, to give people time to do household chores as they can’t get off the site at lunchtimes.

Things may change with the new production facility but I think they all value the 4.5 day approach.

Adding a 6th day may be feasible in the short term but probably means hiring more staff. You need a whole team so it’s unlikely you’d achieve the staffing just by offering overtime. Second shift makes more sense and is certainly coming, just a question of whether it’s Q4 or Jan.

Hopefully we’ll hear more in the coming weeks.

 

[andrew6382]

In the past Lotus have worked a 4.5 day week for 50 weeks.

I gather it’s quite common in UK manufacturing to finish at midday on Friday, to give people time to do household chores as they can’t get off the site at lunchtimes.

Things may change with the new production facility but I think they all value the 4.5 day approach.

Adding a 6th day may be feasible in the short term but probably means hiring more staff. You need a whole team so it’s unlikely you’d achieve the staffing just by offering overtime. Second shift makes more sense and is certainly coming, just a question of whether it’s Q4 or Jan.

Hopefully we’ll hear more in the coming weeks.

The Uk is a mess of working practices...... When working as night shift maintenance.... we did four 12 hour shift, and had a long weekend. Other companys I have worked with as hydraulic engineer, would do 5 day weeks 8-5 ..... this coved companys pressing out stainless steel sink.... steel pipe..... exhaust companys.... having block week shut down has in many cases stopped. British Gypsum would try and work in repairs around holidays.... unless the oven needed to but shut down... 3-5 days to let it cool

Its not like they need to shut down to service hydraulic press, that makes doors/chassis parts

If as been said, wanting to work together to get the car made, am sure getting more cars out the door, in to customers hands will be a good thing ?

 

[Sir Donald Trump]

Well we know they're supposed to be able to produce about 5,000 cars a year, so at 20 a day, that's 100 a week if they're not working weekends, which would mean 50 weeks of production. That's only 2 weeks off for an entire calendar year, which is not the way manufacturers work. They usually work from September through June or July, and take the entire month of August to retool up for the next year's production.

If Lotus adds one more day, working Monday-Saturday, that's 120 cars a week. That would enable them to produce 5,000 cars in 42 weeks, which would give them 10 weeks off for the August changeover and miscellaneous holidays, etc. So my guess is they'll work 6 days a week. That would give them one day a week for maintenance and service of the production facility.

That's just a guess on my part. I'm sure we'll get more details once actual production is underway.

In 2022 they hope to build 90-100 FE's per month and will ramp up towards the end of the year. I met Scott the Sales Director twice last year at varioues events and he stated this on both ocassions as do another Lotus exec

 

[andrew6382]

In 2022 they hope to build 90-100 FE's per month and will ramp up towards the end of the year. I met Scott the Sales Director twice last year at varioues events and he stated this on both ocassions as do another Lotus exec

Erm sorry 100 a week ?

 

[Eagle7]

In 2022 they hope to build 90-100 FE's per month and will ramp up towards the end of the year. I met Scott the Sales Director twice last year at varioues events and he stated this on both ocassions as do another Lotus exec

Yeah, you mean 90-100 a week, don't you? 90-100 a month would take them 7 months or more just for the 700 cars for North America, and we know they're building thousands just for the U.K. alone.

 

[jmn444]

Well, I think the fakest news has come from the most obvious source lmao...

 

[VL3X]

Hopefully we’ll hear more in the coming weeks.

...he said every month since July 2021. 😂

Also, didn't I just read an article about quite a few European businesses trying out a 4-day work week? I really want to be positive and think Lotus will ramp up production and deliver early (or even on time), but I really doubt it.

Apparently they have photos that are taking 5 months to upload. 🙄

 

[roundincircles]

Typically, they won't extend the working week as it wears people out and when people get tired they make mistakes, injure themselves etc.

The way output will be increased is with a second shift which is very costly to start up (Training the workforce, Plus the costs incurred at component suppliers. ) so that only happens when demand levels are assured over the long term. P

 

[eclat2emira]

In the past Lotus have worked a 4.5 day week for 50 weeks.

I gather it’s quite common in UK manufacturing to finish at midday on Friday, to give people time to do household chores as they can’t get off the site at lunchtimes.

Things may change with the new production facility but I think they all value the 4.5 day approach.

Adding a 6th day may be feasible in the short term but probably means hiring more staff. You need a whole team so it’s unlikely you’d achieve the staffing just by offering overtime. Second shift makes more sense and is certainly coming, just a question of whether it’s Q4 or Jan.

Hopefully we’ll hear more in the coming weeks.

Yep, shift-working the way to go - sweat the facility without burning out your staff. Overworked, tired and demotivated staff would have a negative impact on quality - not what any of us want!

 

[Leonard]

Typically, they won't extend the working week as it wears people out and when people get tired they make mistakes, injure themselves etc.

The way output will be increased is with a second shift which is very costly to start up (Training the workforce, Plus the costs incurred at component suppliers. ) so that only happens when demand levels are assured over the long term. P

This

 

[TomE]

Yep, shift-working the way to go - sweat the facility without burning out your staff. Overworked, tired and demotivated staff would have a negative impact on quality - not what any of us want!

Yes, but also has to be handled carefully. Otherwise you get an equally damaging impact on quality from a group of new hires who aren’t sufficiently trained or experienced.

 

[andrew6382]

Yes, but also has to be handled carefully. Otherwise you get an equally damaging impact on quality from a group of new hires who aren’t sufficiently trained or experienced.

Yes Tom..... I feel if there is a second shift...... they should be working along side the old Lotus staff, team building..... and try and not make the 2nd shift up of new staff only..... Can end up with us and them feeling..... seen it happen at place i worked

 

[eclat2emira]

Yes, but also has to be handled carefully. Otherwise you get an equally damaging impact on quality from a group of new hires who aren’t sufficiently trained or experienced.

Absolutely! That's why it takes time to set up as you've said Tom - won't happen right away.

When we run a night-shift we have to make sure everything is on point, especially management and supervision.

 

[Sir Donald Trump]

Erm sorry 100 a week ?

Apologies, my error for 2022 they were looking at a initial production run of 90-100 cars p/m for UK allocation.

 

[Sir Donald Trump]

Well, I think the fakest news has come from the most obvious source lmao...

ha ha, you got me on that one!

 

[VL3X]

Anyone else concerned about these newbies working the assembly line? Not only is it a new model, but it sounds like the majority of workers are freshly trained, right? I wanted that lady from the New Dawn video who was personally stitching the seats to work on my Emira! IIRC, they had her learning to torque down engine bolts since the seats were now outsourced.

 

[andrew6382]

Apologies, my error for 2022 they were looking at a initial production run of 90-100 cars p/m for UK allocation.

Sorry @Sir Donald Trump ..... to be clear.... they are planing 100 cars a week..... as at @TomE
When i spent day at lotus... that is the number told to us......5000 cars a year 1 shift

 

[andrew6382]

Anyone else concerned about these newbies working the assembly line? Not only is it a new model, but it sounds like the majority of workers are freshly trained, right? I wanted that lady from the New Dawn video who was personally stitching the seats to work on my Emira! IIRC, they had her learning to torque down engine bolts since the seats were now outsourced.

The olds staff are being trained up.... methods and systems were being worked out when we spent day there. Old staff will make up fisrt shift from what i understood .... That lady was there, and will be on the line

 

[virtualmacho]

Anyone else concerned about these newbies working the assembly line?

Newbie or not, no concerns as long as they are trained correctly, are not afraid to stop and check and confirm, and have enthusiasm and love for the product they are creating!

 

[Sir Donald Trump]

Sorry @Sir Donald Trump ..... to be clear.... they are planing 100 cars a week..... as at @TomE
When i spent day at lotus... that is the number told to us......5000 cars a year 1 shift

Yes i dont diasagree, the conversations i had with Lotus on the production targets where back in Sept and Nov and they did say their intention was to ramp up but wouldnt give any figures, only that it would be 90-100 p/m for the Uk to start with and dependant upon demand which was significant. So they have have already improved on that by some margin, all good