Future Of Trailblazer Plant Is Questioned

[Perian]

Link: http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...602180322/1148

Associated Press

DAYTON, Ohio -- General Motors Corp.'s assembly plant in suburban Moraine will have to become more competitive in producing vehicles or compete with other GM plants for new vehicles after 2008, the automaker said Friday, raising questions about the plant's future.

About 4,150 workers are employed at the plant, which produces the Buick Rainier, GMC Envoy, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Saab 9-7X and Isuzu Ascender.

"Right now, there is no product assigned to the plant beyond its current product," GM spokesman Dan Flores said.

If nothing changes, production of those vehicles at the plant would end in 2008, Flores said.

Messages seeking comment were left for International Union of Electronic Workers Local 798, which represents hourly workers at the plant.

Flores said GM is working with union officials to try to make the plant more competitive. He would not elaborate on what steps must be taken.

[Perian]

With the new crossovers, I would guess demand for this product core will decrease.

Moraine is not in a good position.

[Butz]

No second Gen GMT 360??

[Perian]

Originally Posted by Butz

No second Gen GMT 360??

If so, sounds like it's being held hostage...

Let's just assume that this is a bargaining ploy with the UAW.

[wolverine]

General Motors Corp.'s assembly plant in suburban Moraine will have to become more competitive in producing vehicles or compete with other GM plants for new vehicles after 2008, the automaker said Friday, raising questions about the plant's future.

Me thinks there will be more news like this to come regarding the need for plants to become "more competitive" or they will be closed. Look out, Orion Assembly, as your turn to become "more competitive" is on the horizon.

[kenman923]

I wonder if they will build them where the Tahoes are built.

[SaabKing]

I would think GM would want to keep this plant, seeing how it is not a UAW plant

[Jeffff]

It is still unionized though, and I don't think there are any huge differences in their agreements with the IUE and UAW.

[Cortazzo]

There is still going to be a niche for a midsize body on frame SUV, but the product needs to improve and become more flexible. First of all, it needs to be redesigned with a third row of seats in a regular wheel base model. The pilot, explorer, and pathfinder have 3 rows and the TB needs them too. Secondly, i'd like to see a sporty 2 door SUV like my Jimmy again, but I don't know if volume would allow for that. Besides that, the only glaring flaws of the TB have been it's 4-speed (a new 6 speed would complement that already fantastic engine) and it's fairly dour looking interior. Since it doesn't look like chevy is getting the new lambda crossovers, they are going to NEED a midsize SUV to slot between the nox and the tahoe.

[member12]

So they are going to let the Jeep Grand Cherokee, 4 runner, and Pathfinder own that market. Oh well, I guess GM is afraid of making a truck people might use off road...you know, those types of uses mean the truck has to be built a little better to handle it. There is a huge market for BOF SUVs like the Trailblazer, Pathfinder, and 4 runner.

The trailblazers only accounted for what, 200,000 sales a year?

They better not get out of the truck based SUV market. That would be plain stupid. Those Crossovers better be able to tow as much as the TB, have decent off road capability, and cost just as much or less. The 4.2L engine can't fit in anything else, either. Gm needs a new Trailblazer in 4 door and two door versions. A lot of people don't need a third row seat, and they shy away from vehicles with third rows (as they take up cargo space).

Sometimes I think GM deserves a Darwin Award.

Hey, lets spend a $hit load of money developing a platform and a world class engine, but lets end it all and throw our investment down the tube after 5 or 6 years. Whose idea was this? Fire them!

Maybe they should put the new Trailbalazers in the Oklahoma City plant. Wait, they closed that one, too.

[SUPERBADD75]

Originally Posted by Cortazzo

There is still going to be a niche for a midsize body on frame SUV, but the product needs to improve and become more flexible. First of all, it needs to be redesigned with a third row of seats in a regular wheel base model. The pilot, explorer, and pathfinder have 3 rows and the TB needs them too. Secondly, i'd like to see a sporty 2 door SUV like my Jimmy again, but I don't know if volume would allow for that. Besides that, the only glaring flaws of the TB have been it's 4-speed (a new 6 speed would complement that already fantastic engine) and it's fairly dour looking interior. Since it doesn't look like chevy is getting the new lambda crossovers, they are going to NEED a midsize SUV to slot between the nox and the tahoe.

i agree. i will replace my TrailBlazer eventually, and if GM stops building it they're going to force me to buy from someone else. i like the tough body on frame construction, the higher tow rating (compared to car-based crossovers), and i love the 4.2L engine. the interior is rather lame, i admit that, and it could use at least a 5 speed auto, but the rest of the truck is great and it would be stupid for GM to just drop it. refine it, refresh it, redesign it, but don't drop it. the TB was the best selling in its segment last year, and that doesn't include all of the other GMT-360s, why would they shutter a plant that builds them? that would simply be stupid.

[fullsizefan]

Everything I have seen (as a supplier to GM) shows that they will have a next-generation GMT-360. Just because Dayton might close, I doubt it means the end of the TrailBlazer. GM has a bunch of plants that are under-utilized, and I would imagine they want to make sure they get a good deal from the state of Ohio and the IUE before they make an announcement about a big investment in the plant. If the IUE wants to play hardball, I am sure GM will find another plant to build these things.

[paul38469]

I think people read too much into articles like this. There is no way they will stop making midsize SUVs, and it is not what they are saying. They are just trying to get concessions from the unions at this, and most likely, eventually at other plants. They haven't announced closing any fullsize SUV or pickup truck plants, so I imagine that product could be shuffled around easily even if they did close this plant. Hopefully a major redsign will be happening with the midsize SUVs by 2008, though I wish it were sooner.

[Perian]

Originally Posted by paul38469

I think people read too much into articles like this. There is no way they will stop making midsize SUVs, and it is not what they are saying. They are just trying to get concessions from the unions at this, and most likely, eventually at other plants. They haven't announced closing any fullsize SUV or pickup truck plants, so I imagine that product could be shuffled around easily even if they did close this plant. Hopefully a major redsign will be happening with the midsize SUVs by 2008, though I wish it were sooner.

A voice of reason. Thank you for your comments.

Again - This appears to be a bargaining ploy between GM and the UAW.

[CobaltSScrazy]

Originally Posted by Butz

No second Gen GMT 360??

I hear the cross overs replace them essentially. (Not literally). and production will end when this lifecycle is over. Kind of like ford with the freestar minivan, its getting out of the marketplace.