American Factory

American Factory is a 2019 documentary film directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert. The film takes place in Dayton, Ohio, where a Chinese billionaire, Liang Yong Jia, opens a new factory, Fuyao, on the site of the abandoned General Motors plant. The factory is a massive investment in the local economy, as it promises to bring jobs to the struggling town and stimulate growth. The documentary begins with a sense of hope and optimism, as the local residents are shown eagerly anticipating the arrival of the new factory and the jobs it will bring. As the factory begins to take shape, workers are hired to fill the approximately 2,200 positions available. Many of these workers are former General Motors employees, who have been unemployed since the plant closed several years ago. Among the workers featured in the documentary are a few notable individuals. Bob Bussel is a local union leader who has been fighting to organize the factory's workers and secure better wages and benefits. His struggles are reflective of the broader tensions between workers and management that will eventually come to a head. Another central figure is Liao, a Chinese engineer who oversees operations at the plant. He is tasked with implementing the company's strict quality control procedures, which include the infamous "picking machine" that rapidly sorts glass windshields. Liao is portrayed as a strict but fair leader, who is committed to making the factory successful. Initially, the factory is a model of efficiency, with workers adhering to a strict schedule and adhering to the rules set by the Chinese management. However, as time passes, tensions begin to rise. A major issue is the "picking machine," which is designed to sort glass windshields, but has broken down repeatedly, creating a bottleneck in production. This has a major impact on the workers' morale and the factory's overall productivity. As the workers struggle to meet demanding quotas and adapt to the factory's complex systems, they begin to feel a sense of frustration and disillusionment. The documentary captures this shift through its portrayal of the factory's day-to-day operations, which become increasingly chaotic as the months pass. Workers are shown struggling with equipment malfunctions, inadequate training, and poor living conditions within the factory. Despite the growing tensions, the factory's managers remain committed to their vision of a highly efficient and technologically advanced production facility. Their focus on quality control and precision production, however, has come at the cost of worker well-being and job security. As a result, many of the workers featured in the film begin to speak out against the factory's policies and practice, leading to conflicts with management. The film takes a particularly critical stance on the factory's use of low-skilled migrant labor from Asia. The use of this cheap labor has led to tension with the predominantly local workforce, who feel that they are being unfairly treated by the factory's policies. This leads to a series of confrontations between workers, managers, and even local union officials. One of the key issues highlighted by American Factory is the struggle to find a balance between the demands of globalization and the needs of the local economy. Liang, the Chinese billionaire, is portrayed as a shrewd businessman who is determined to make a profit from his investment. However, this comes at the cost of his workers, who feel that they are being treated unfairly and are losing their identity and dignity as a result of the factory's culture. Throughout the documentary, American Factory highlights the challenges faced by local workers in a post-industrial community grappling with the pressures of globalization. It raises important questions about the value of work, the nature of identity, and the impact of economic policy on the local community. The film is both an exposé of the darker aspects of modern industry and a testament to the resilience and solidarity of the working class. Despite the factory's eventual success, the story of American Factory highlights the complexities and tensions between globalization's champions and local communities that feel increasingly disconnected from the economic system.