RAM’s Melbourne production line expands to 24 hours

The Melbourne production line responsible for converting left-hand drive RAM pick-ups has announced it will triple its output to meet rampant local demand.

The Australian distributor for RAM Trucks says it is holding more than 460 orders for the hulking, American-sourced vehicles, which are remanufactured to comply with Australian standards under a contract with the Walkinshaw Automotive Group, which owns HSV.

Of particular note is the demand for the RAM 1500, whose 291kW Hemi V8 has clearly struck a chord with Aussie buyers despite an $80,000 price tag.

Now, a $10 million investment from the Australian distributor will see the Clayton production facility running 24-hours a day, five days a week, in a move that brings the total number of employees from 110 to 160 people.

“This is not just great news for RAM, it is also a fantastic achievement for the Australian automotive industry and shows the world our automotive and engineering industry is open for business,” said Alex Stewart, general manager of RAM Trucks Australia.

“Since we started production we have cut by more than two thirds the time it takes to remanufacture a RAM Truck for our market, we use up to 400 components, the vast majority local produced by Australian companies and, by the time we go to three shift working, we will be employing more than 160 people directly and many more indirectly across the country.”

The process of re-engineering a RAM for Aussie roads is extensive, incorporating the fitment of a specific steering system and parts including a locally-produced dashboard from suppliers formerly producing parts for Holden, Ford and Toyota.

Despite the undertaking, the time it takes to produce an individual vehicle has now been slashed from three-and-a-half days to less than 24 hours. The improved efficiency comes down to additional personnel and techniques, along with a new 130-metre long production line which allows up to 21 vehicles to worked on at once.

“The entire RAM Trucks project was set up, engineered, designed and developed in Australia by Australian experts, it shows what this country is capable of and how we can produce a world class product,” Stewart said.

“In short, it is clearly something of which everyone involved should be extremely proud and which, in the form of the RAM 1500, 2500 and 3500, has provided Australians with a new and unique choice when it comes to vehicle buying.”

RAM Trucks Australia says it has an additional 20 staff working in design and engineering who are preparing for the next generation of RAM vehicles for Australian production.

Each completed vehicle comes with full Australian Design Rule compliance along with a three-year/100,000km warranty and access to a national dealer network of more than 35 outlets.