Harley-Davidson celebrated its 13th consecutive year of increased customer deliveries by watching the first motorcycles roll off the production line at the Kansas City, Mo., plant, the newest addition to the Harley empire. The $85 million, 330,000-square-foot facility boasts an ergonomically-friendly production line for its 200-plus workers. "The Kansas City plant is an evolutionary turning point in Harley-Davidson's history," says Harley-Davidson CEO Jeff Bleustein. "We've been able to utilize information and ideas gleaned from our existing facilities over the years to create a collaborative working environment for motorcycle production."
The new plant will manufacture the company's Sportster line. The company hopes to increase the number of motorcycles it produced last year from 131,000 to 145,000. By 2003, Harley's 100th anniversary, the company hopes to grow production to 200,000 bikes.
