Found this article on Detroit News. Mentions that one Lansing plant will be closed (Malibu Classic, Alero, Grand Am). That Lordstown will go thru a restructuring; may have some job cuts. Lansing Grand River (CTS,SRX,STS) will be boosting it's output on strong demand for their product.

But the most interesting part of the article is this:
"The automaker plans to build another plant in Delta Township near Lansing, with production scheduled to begin in the fall of 2006. But GM has not assigned a product to the new plant. "

Anyone have any idea of what product could be built there?

Here's a link to the whole article:

http://www.detnews.com/2003/autosins...c01-299050.htm

 

Hrrrmmm..If you were gonna build vehicles based on a new to North America manufacturing plan such as Holden's....wouldn;t it make sense to start with a new plant designed for the task?

 

fall of 2006 for you would be about one year after VE production is expected to start in aus.

 

I think if GM found it necessary to build an all-new plant and have it operational in 3 years, they most certainly already know what they intend to use it for, or they wouldn't be planning to build it.

It's just that the vehicle itself hasn't been announced (or "approved" ) yet.

 

A little off subject here, but what do the workers in these plants ussually make while their working? (not retirement plans etc...)

 

I'm not up on the most current UAW contracts but I've heard line workers start at $18 per hr. With 2-3 years experience they can get to $22-25 per hr. With Reps and other mngt UAW workers getting $30 and up per hr.

I could be off but that was from a Ford employee.

 

That sounds pretty much in line with Lordstown Assembly (J-Car/upcoming Delta Car)

I have a few friends working there... one has been there about 5 years... makes like $25-$27/hr.

 

Exactly! I was thinking the same thing when I first read that part.

So fall of 2006 is 2007 MY.

So Guion,
what's your educated guess on what's going into that plant?

I have some guesses, but for every reason why I believe it would be a particular car, I have reasons that it may be something else.

 

Then what's the deal with the Hamtramck plant, which you were dropping heavy hints and winks about not too long ago.

I'm so confused.

 

maybe thats the point. i love reading all this speculation and stuff. its like a big "who done it" trying to piece together all the parts

 

The Hamtramck plant was a deduced guess based on the fact GM herded all it's large Front Wheel Drive cars that's going to have the same kill date into the that factory, and the expected length of time it takes to redo a plant for a new model. Much like Chrysler is doing right now with it's LH to LX plant rennovation.

But I suspect differently now, and feel it will be a new or soon to be unused plant. Production of GM's big cars now look like as soon as one model stops, another will start. It also is begining to seem likely that GM will stagger these RWD replacements the same way they are staggering the introductions of new vehicles now (ie: Malibu & G6, Ion & Colbalt, Grand Prix & Regal).

It seems likely that as these cars production figures drop, GM will reduce the workforce there till production stops, then transfer whoever's left (sounds familiar in a way, doesn't it? ).

Finally, the whole manufacturing process of the new "sigma-mass" or "VE" cars will be pretty revolutionary. Without going into it, seems the way it's going to be made is going to have as much (if not more) to do with it's reduced cost over "sigma" as some of it's components. Apparently, this will also require a new plant, or at least a very unique assembly process.