Projects

President

I was appointed President, Budd Transit in June 1982 with full P&L responsibility for a $300 million annual group. In 1982 Budd Transit was the last US owned designer and manufacturer of passenger railcars and won several large orders in 1980-81 with the New York MTA for both LIRR and MNCR, Chicago Transit Authority, Amtrak, Maryland Mass Transit Administration (Baltimore), Miami-Dade Transit, and the Connecticut Dept. of Transportation for orders totaling over 1,300 vehicles. I was hired to solve urgent production shortfalls, excessive inventory and cash flow problems on fixed price contracts totaling over $1 billion. Budd's storied history included over 11,000 passenger railcars from the Zephyr's in the early 1930's to the Metroliner in the 1960's. Budd's capabilities included the Budd Technical Center, R&D Scientists, engineers, computer design experts, skilled technicians and the production of railcars at a plant covering more than 1.25 Million square feet. Mr. Salci led Budd Transit's production turn around with the following major achievements:

• Directed the implementation of an $8 million facility improvement, installation of a fourth production line, to increase productive capacity by 25% to meet customer delivery requirements, which avoided $22 million in liquidated damage penalties for late delivery.
• Led the management team turnaround and increased production from 18 to 35 passenger railcars per month while at the same time reducing manpower from 2,200 to 1,500 and reduced overhead costs by 20%.
• At the completion of the contracts in 1987 with MRCR, LIRR, CTA, Miami-Dade, Maryland MTA, and Amtrak, negotiated the sale of the Budd Transit assets to Bombardier, Inc.