Merry Christmas: Envoy, Trailblazer, 9-7X plant closing Dec. 23rd
Looks like that Moraine, Ohio plant that was going to be shut down next year is actually going to be shuttered on December 23rd, just in time for Christmas. This is the plant responsible for production of the GMC Envoy, Chevy Trailblazer and Saab 9-7X. The General had already slowed the plant to just one shift as SUV sales, particularly sales of old SUVs like these, continue to tumble, but the plant was expected to remain open until at least early next year. On Friday the remaining 1,100 workers were gathered and told of the revised plan.The closure isn't a total surprise, as General Motors had already announced that the Dayton-suburb plant would be closed so the company could focus more on production of small cars. That initial announcement seemed to indicate a 2010 closure, but the company has continually revised the closing date until this most recent word came. Moraine is one of four GM plants that are going to be shut down. When Janesville, Wis.; Oshawa, Ontario; and Toluca, Mexico join Moraine in closure, a total of 8,350 workers will be looking for new jobs.
[Source: Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Red 1:40PM (10/06/2008)
For the record, this facility at one time employed 2,400-2,500 people. The town of Moraine, IIRC has a population of 6,700 and I'm told it's actually a really nice town. Unlike the Jainesville, Wisconsin plant closing, Moraine just doesn't have any diversity in regards to the jobs available. There aren't any.
This town is also one of the hardest hit areas of poverty and the housing crisis in the United States. I think it's now considered the "poorest suburban area in America".
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Alone On Board 1:48PM (10/06/2008)
If you don't have a plan such things happen.Apparently you will have to buy British cars.
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hatchbacks are cool 1:49PM (10/06/2008)
At last Rick Wagoner got in his head that there is very little of a market for SUVs . Oh the job loss in unnecessary why don't GM just make small cars there insted ie Opels and Deawoos .
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Ayatollah Rodriguez 1:54PM (10/06/2008)
Is this company completely heartless?
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Kumar 2:42PM (10/06/2008)
The same could said about you (and the rest of us for that matter)...buy American, support the auto industry...blah blah.
Shifting priorities are hitting just about everyone, from the consumer downsizing to what they can afford, to auto companies doing what they have to in order to survive.
No doubt more plants will close, as we consumers will probably trend to owning cars for another year or few longer than we had over the past decade, reducing demand even further.
Dude 2:57PM (10/06/2008)
Actually, GM is being quite nice. Name any other company that give you several months advance warning that your job is going away? Most people find out when the door is locked.
Too bad these people have UAW on their resume. That's got to hurt your chances of getting another job.
knifetramp 4:58PM (10/06/2008)
Dude, I agree 100% with you on both fronts.
80% of UAW workders are great people, too bad the other 20% run their image into the gutter. Still, the Big 2.8 have spent royally to reduce their UAW workforce. How many other industries have paid $140K for workers to "agree to leave"? Incredible.
elprogramer 3:59AM (10/07/2008)
Moraine ain't UAW.
nataku83 1:59PM (10/06/2008)
I wonder if that's it for the Vortec 4200. That's a pretty great engine, and one of the last mass produced I6s left that I'm aware of.
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StickShift 2:33PM (10/06/2008)
Looks like it. As far as I know, GM has not plans for that motor in any other model. Too bad I6s are hard to package for crash protection, the Atlas was a cool motor.
G-Meister 4:13PM (10/06/2008)
Sure looks that way. The 345/355 line will eventually get the 3.6L V6. I would guess the 5cyl will be dropped, too and the 4cyl Atlas replaced with a big Ecotec like Chrysler did a few years back. ONe place it would fit is in a Ram- maybe they could sell it to Dodge to use instead of their V6
Cardude 2:08PM (10/06/2008)
Small car garbage hurting everyone.
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Jeremy B 2:28PM (10/06/2008)
Goodbye Trailblazer, Envoy, and 9-7x. You will be dearly missed.
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gokartn 2:59PM (10/06/2008)
Isnt' that one of the most badge engineered vehices ever? There was the Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Isuzu Ascender, Saab 97X, Buick Terrenza(?), and Oldsmobile Bravada.
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G-Meister 4:08PM (10/06/2008)
It was a Buick Raineer. The Terraza was Buick's minivan.
That One Person 7:44PM (10/06/2008)
If you want to get technical and want to add the extended T-Blazer, Envoy XL and XUV, extended Ascender and SSR, there was something like 11 vehicles built off of essentially one platform.
The Bravada was by far the best GMT 360 product.
IOMTT 3:05PM (10/06/2008)
This sucks, but as with any business you must match supply with demand if you want to succeed. In regards to one of Kumar's thoughts, I am inclined to buy vehicles based on 10 years of ownership and 250,000 miles going forward. This takes one problem out of the cost of ownership equation...depreciation!
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Abe 4:18PM (10/06/2008)
They are some of the most underrated cars out there, yes they are rebadges, but they are super smooth and super quiet for truck based SUVs. After driving a Trailblazer two days across half of the country, It was such a comfortable and relaxing ride and the fuel economy was manageable. My only gripe is that the dash could've been better designed. Every era comes to an end and those who've appreciated these truck based SUVs will miss them. It's quite a shame that GM could not think of anything else to do with the plant.
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Abe 4:17PM (10/06/2008)
They are some of the most underrated cars out there, yes they are rebadges, but they are super smooth and super quiet for truck based SUVs. After driving a Trailblazer two days across half of the country, It was such a comfortable and relaxing ride and the fuel economy was manageable. My only gripe is that the dash could've been better designed. Every era comes to an end and those who've appreciated these truck based SUVs will miss them. It's quite a shame that GM could not think of anything else to do with the plant.
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amdfan12 7:00PM (10/06/2008)
R.I.P Vortec 4200.
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