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Celebrating the arrival of the Volkswagen Rabbit at Hapeville, Ga., are Bob Mange (left), SR market manager, Automotive Industries; Jim Herr, vice president-Sales, Motor Convoy, Atlanta; and Bob Hill, VW manager of transportation operations, Englewood Cliffs, N .J . |
The first shipment of U. S.- made Volkswagen Rabbits has been shipped from VW's New Stanton, Pa., plant via Southern Railway.
Southern picked up two of its tri-level rail cars, each loaded with 18 Rabbits, from the Chessie System in Cincinnati. Southern delivered the new automobiles at Hapeville, Ga., which is near Atlanta.
The Pennsylvania plant, VW's first U. S. production venture, will employ about 5,000 workers when the plant reaches full production capacity.
Production at the $300-million plant now runs about 300 units a day. The plant expects to produce 50,000 units in 1978 and 200,000 units in 1979.
VW officials, including President I. W. McLernon, together with Chessie and 10 Southern officials, were on hand to witness the loading of the first shipment. Representing Southern were John Blair, district sales manager, New York; Bob Baily, district sales manager, Pittsburgh; and Jack Johnston, sales representative, Pittsburgh.
The New Stanton plant is in Mr. Johnston's sales territory. He will work closely with several VW officials: Ken Fletcher, superintendent of transportation; Joe Tucker, assistant superintendent; and H. M. Medlock, supervisor of equipment. Sawyer Vincent, SR sales representative, New York, has the primary account responsibility at VW's corporate headquarters at Englewood Cliffs, N. J. He also works with several VW officials : Konrad Woermann, manager, Traffic; Bob Hill, manager of transportation operations; Wayne Marshall, equipment specialist; and Anthony Ferraro, transportation manager.
"This first shipment moved smoothly," Mr. Blair said, "because of the extensive efforts of Volkswagen and their understanding of the importance of arrangements that will provide mutual benefits. "The success of the movement was made possible because of the close communication and full cooperation of our Southern team: the Marketing and Customer Service Engineering departments in Washington, D. C., our sales offices in Pittsburgh and New York; and Bob Mange, market manager, Automotive Industries, Detroit."