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Mitsubishi set to idle Illinois plant for seven weeks
Slumping sales have pushed Mitsubishi to schedule a production stoppage at their Normal, Illinois plant early next year for a period lasting more than 40 days. The facility, employing 1,568 workers, manufacturers both the Galant and Eclipse. When the assembly line lights go dark between February 16 and April 3, it will signify the longest halt of production since the facility began operation in 1988. The news obviously isn't good, but it thankfully doesn't carry any immediate word about layoffs. According to Mitsubishi, all employees will remain on payroll during the shutdown and be shifted to other non-production jobs, including maintenance and training.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mike155 8:28AM (12/10/2008)
that's very sad to hear. My wife's 08 eclipse GT v6 was custom built at the normal, IL plant because we wanted the 6 speed manual
Wonder if the eclipse is there best selling model? Because I see alot of those on the road...
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Tourian 9:53AM (12/10/2008)
"Custom" built? All Eclipses are built at Normal and a manual is a standard option. The dealer just told you that to make you feel special about your particular car, but it was manufactured as usal right along with the rest of them, including mine, though it was built ten years ago - standard with a turbo and a manual.
mike155 1:33PM (12/10/2008)
Hey Tourian,
Our eclipse was a custom built one. We wanted the 6-speed manual with the V6 engine, and the only one our mitsubishi dealer could find in all of Illinois was a silver one, which we didn't care for.
So they said they had to build one just for us, and since it is for us, we can choose whatever interior color we wanted. The exterior/interior color combo my wife chose is not a combo that mitsubishi usually does, but since it was our car, they let us do this combo. (satin messiah exterior, like a greenish/blue color; and ebony leather interior).
it took 3 months to build and they sent monthly updates.
as far as i know we are the only ones with this color combo, V6, and 6-speed manual for an eclipse
Sea Urchin 8:40AM (12/10/2008)
TRAINING, TRAINING and more TRAINING.
Mitsu should use this time to make their workforse more knowledgeable and efficient. It will benefit everyone.
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Mikeeee 8:58AM (12/10/2008)
I guess their "Jobs Bank" is a good idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What the heck do you think the Big 3 job bank does???
If you listen to the idoits in Congress they just sit around and do nothing.
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happy_penguin 5:43PM (12/10/2008)
It's okay, because it's Japanese!! :) :) :) :)
TigerMil 9:35AM (12/10/2008)
Guess the beaches in FL will be swarming with snowbirds again.
And the slopes in CO.
If they have any money to spend, anyway.
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John W 10:55AM (12/10/2008)
Mitsubishi is in serious trouble and has been for awhile..... well before the current auto downturn. They are the only Japanese auto company that can't seem to be profitable. The Galant is a joke in the mid-size car segment. The Eclipse used to be quite popular but is slipping in sales and the EVO is a limited production vehicle that can't save them alone. The rest of their line up is forgettable. I really won't be surprised if they follow Isuzu on their way out of the US market in the next few years.
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mkM3 9:45AM (12/10/2008)
I am trying to remember the last time I saw a Galant. I can't. Plenty of Eclipses around, but the Galant is simply extinct around here. Has anyone seen one lately? I can't even remember how long the current one has been on the market.
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MJK 9:50AM (12/10/2008)
this is an outrage! Someone should call the Governor of Illinois to stop this from...oh..wait a minute
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Tourian 9:54AM (12/10/2008)
It should be noted that the plant employs UAW workers.
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dc11 1:22PM (12/10/2008)
for a second there, i thought i was looking at a pic of the GTR.... hideous, they both are...
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Ayle 8:24PM (12/10/2008)
I thought that too. Though I saw a GTR in the flesh and it is really nice looking.
JOHN 10:09PM (12/10/2008)
I work at the plant look up how many JD Awards we have. This year we were a step above allot of the others. In costumer satisfaction and quality. The whole thing in Japan when they had a cover up is what killed us. That is with the defective parts. Every time the news came on they showed the Normal plant so many just thought without checking up that all the problems were here in the U.S. Yes it is all U.A.W. workers Illinois is a close shop state. The second problem came with Chrysler financing. When we were with them in a joint venture, they just gave cars away without doing back ground checks. Remember this is all done through Chrysler. After that over 100.000 cars were repossessed. So now the market is flooded with our cars. They say it will be 2010 before we get back on our feet. There are rumors of retooling for the Mitsubishi colt. Only rumors for now. Best wishes for all you American workers. Merry Christmas And Happy new Year
mikeg216 1:11AM (12/11/2008)
give me an eclipse with a turbo 4 awd and paddle shifters and i will be at the dealer tomorrow to drop off my deposit
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