Visitors see inside factories

YORK, Pa. -- The sound of a motorcycle engine revving fills the quiet movie theater as nearly 30 Harley-Davidson enthusiasts stare at a dark screen, awaiting one of the most exciting rides of their lives.

In the next hour, they will witness the piece-by-piece construction of the coveted bikes during a tour of the company's York factory.

The inside look at the factory floor is part of the York County Convention and Visitors Bureau's initiative to brand the area as the "Factory Tour Capital of the World." With 14 tours offered year-round -- from Family Heir-Loom Weavers to Martin's Potato Chips -- York officials say their manufacturing tradition is what sets them apart.

York launched its Factory Tour Capital brand name in January 2001 to focus its tourism industry and promote a defining image in an area surrounded by competing attractions, including Baltimore's Inner Harbor, Gettysburg's battlefields, Lancaster's Amish country and Hershey's chocolate-related sites.

Part of area's identity

Tourism officials knew manufacturing was a major part of York's identity, says Anne Druck, president of the visitors bureau. After all, the city was the birthplace of the York Peppermint Pattie and the county has the highest number of manufacturing employees per capita in the state.

"When we thought about York and the community around us, we had a really unique opportunity," she says. "Some destinations don't have anything going for them. But we didn't have to pave over and create an amusement park. We just had to be true to visitors and let them see that this is the real thing."

The factory tour program expanded during the fourth annual Manufacturers Days, which has been placed in the top 100 tourist events for 2002 by the American Bus Association. Thirty factories will opened their doors and rolled out special products June 20-21.

The Factory Tour Capital is now drawing hundreds of thousands to the area. More than 100,000 people toured the Harley factory in 2001 alone, Druck said.

The plant was bustling with activity May 30 during opening day of its new tour center, which includes a series of exhibits, a gift shop and a set of motorcycles for photo opportunities.

The tour, which lasts longer than an hour, begins with a movie on the company's history.

Tour guide Larry Tibbs gives his group safety glasses and a headset so they can hear him above the din of clashing metal inside the factory, where workers each day produce more than 750 Harleys, as well as 40 percent of the parts for the bikes.

With forklifts zooming by, Tibbs leads the way along the floor. The visitors see workers and machines cranking out gas tanks, fenders and kickstands. At the assembly line, they watch the bikes get a new part every three minutes before completion.

Then they catch a glimpse of the job everyone wants -- testing the finished product.

"I'd love to work like that," says Gary Wasmer of Weirton, W.Va., who bought a custom Softail model a few years ago and came to town for the 29th annual Street Rod Nationals East, a weekend showcase of pre-1949 vehicles.

"But they're all so low-key about it," adds his wife, Joanne, referring to the 3,200 employees, many of whom sport Harley T-shirts and tattoos.

The visitors bureau also promotes York as the Snack Food Capital, with tours at wineries, pretzel-makers and more. At Wolfgang Candy, the smell of chocolate permeates the factory where visitors can watch as peanut butter petals and other candy treats roll off the conveyor belt.