Autoline Detroit - This is Autoline Daily for May 31, 2011. And now, the news.
MORE PLANT CLOSINGS!!
Even though GM and Ford are recovering quickly in the American market, making billions in profits and hiring back thousands of workers, they still want to close more assembly plants where they have slow-selling models. Bloomberg reports GM wants to close its plants in Shreveport, Louisiana, where it makes the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon . . . and its plant in Janesville, Wisconsin, where it makes midsize trucks . . . as well as the Saturn plant in Tennessee, which is sitting empty. Ford wants to close a plant in Minnesota where it makes the Ranger as well as the Flat Rock plant in Michigan that makes the Mustang and a plant in Ohio that makes the Econoline vans. Presumably Ford would move the Mustang and Econoline to other plants. And it's entirely likely GM will move some other production into the former Saturn plant. And you can be sure that the fact this information has come out now has to do with the UAW contract negotiations that will start this summer. Ford and GM done laid down some bargainin' chips