GM: 300 million investment in Flint

[ToyotaNSaturn]

They have invested mightily into the modern Spring Hill, TN plant, only to use it lightly. It would make more sense to utilize this plant.

 

[wapacz]

Originally Posted By: daves87rs

Originally Posted By: Nick R

Originally Posted By: A_Harman

Flint. Birthplace of the UAW. This is where the seeds of GM's destruction were sown in 1933. It was a hellhole when I went to school there 30 years ago. It's a hellhole now. GM should move all the jobs out of there and bulldoze it flat. Of course they won't do any such thing, now that they are controlled by the gummint and the UAW. But I do find it interesting that they are adding a third shift to build more full-size pickup trucks after all the hype we've heard about the Volt and other economy cars. American's are voting with their pocketbooks, and they're buying large vehicles, despite the price of fuel.

GM won't leave Flint, likely because they have a nothing-wrong-with-it assembly plat that produces quality vehicles, location being a hellhole or not. NOT because they are controlled by the "gummint" (Your words, not mine) And yes, Americans are still buying trucks. The F-series is still the top selling vehicles in the US, due to both retail and fleet sales. But still, GM is selling as many volts as they make. Also, FWIW when I was in ohio, I went to that Kalahari resort with my cousin and her friends, and our server at the restraunt was from Flint. He was a very nice guy, and he talked about the area and that it was pretty bad, but the people that worked at the plant (down the road from him) loved their jobs and took pride in it.

Downtown Flint is bad, the Burbs around it are fine.....

Really only parts of downtown flint are bad. Around the local community college, the university of michigan satellite campus and the farmers market its fine. Not to say there aren't areas in flint that I would stay out of at night and watch my surroundings during the day.

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: ToyotaNSaturn

They have invested mightily into the modern Spring Hill, TN plant, only to use it lightly. It would make more sense to utilize this plant.

A co-worker used to work in that plant as a nurse there. she said spring hill people keep saying the spring hill GM plant will come back. I don't think it will happen because they are for Michigan first.

 

[kelpie]

I'm a truck driver and I loved going to Flint. The plant is so big it's on the road atlas and both sides of the interstate. It was a sad day for me when we lost that run. God bless the unions and the American working man. Glad to see people with vision not let GM and Chrysler fail. That would have been a sadder day.

 

[A_Harman]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS

Originally Posted By: A_Harman

Flint. Birthplace of the UAW. This is where the seeds of GM's destruction were sown in 1933. It was a hellhole when I went to school there 30 years ago. It's a hellhole now. GM should move all the jobs out of there and bulldoze it flat. Of course they won't do any such thing, now that they are controlled by the gummint and the UAW. But I do find it interesting that they are adding a third shift to build more full-size pickup trucks after all the hype we've heard about the Volt and other economy cars. American's are voting with their pocketbooks, and they're buying large vehicles, despite the price of fuel.

You went to school in Flint? Did you attend Kettering? A few of my extended family members are graduates of the GM Institute(Kettering) as well. You do realize that Kettering is one of the best engineering schools in the nation, right? Ranked #1 and #2 in a couple of engineering fields. Seems odd for someone who apparently has some semblance of understanding of the extensive intertwined history of Flint/Durant/Buick/GM to suggest we bulldoze it flat. Perhaps if people who make ignorant suggestions like bulldozing entire populations and their homes out of existence, DID something instead of complaining, things might change in Flint. GM is doing their part, what are you and Michael Moore going to do to help the cause? I know Michael is busy in his mansion on Torch Lake, he took what he could from Flint and abandoned it, sounds like you did about the same. In my book you are both part of the problem, not willing or able to become a part of the solution. Meanwhile chastising those who are attempting to bring about change...shame on you and your ignorant suggestion to bulldoze the City. btw...What City do you live in now?

Yes, I went to Kettering University when it was known as General Motors Institute. Graduated in 1985 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. During the time I was there, Flint had the second-highest murder rate in the country. One of my roommates was assaulted by a local citizen who broke into the Academic Building. One of my girl-friends suffered an attempted rape in her house across the street from the school. It was not a pretty place to be in the early '80's. Actually, much of Flint has been bulldozed since I lived there. The GM Assembly plant which was the site of the 1933 Sit-Down strike was bulldozed many years ago.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor

Originally Posted By: ToyotaNSaturn

They have invested mightily into the modern Spring Hill, TN plant, only to use it lightly. It would make more sense to utilize this plant.

A co-worker used to work in that plant as a nurse there. she said spring hill people keep saying the spring hill GM plant will come back. I don't think it will happen because they are for Michigan first.

I do agree with you. I understand VW had good reasons, but I wish they would have bought this plant, VW would have done good things with it. Instead, they're building a brand new one near Chattanooga.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Originally Posted By: ToyotaNSaturn

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor

Originally Posted By: ToyotaNSaturn

They have invested mightily into the modern Spring Hill, TN plant, only to use it lightly. It would make more sense to utilize this plant.

A co-worker used to work in that plant as a nurse there. she said spring hill people keep saying the spring hill GM plant will come back. I don't think it will happen because they are for Michigan first.

I do agree with you. I understand VW had good reasons, but I wish they would have bought this plant, VW would have done good things with it. Instead, they're building a brand new one near Chattanooga.

Guy, honestly, this isn't about being for Michigan first or any other negative against Tenn. What it is about is investing in a plant that currently builds the Silverado/Sierra so that it can continue to build the next generation Silverado/Sierra. It makes perfect sense to keep the production where it currently is. As for Spring Hill, GM has invested over 500 miilion into the Spring Hill plant over the last two years. 483 million in 2010 and another 32 million in 2011, also adding 549 jobs over the same time frame. Most of this investment and manpower was for continued ecotec production.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Originally Posted By: A_Harman

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS

Originally Posted By: A_Harman

Flint. Birthplace of the UAW. This is where the seeds of GM's destruction were sown in 1933. It was a hellhole when I went to school there 30 years ago. It's a hellhole now. GM should move all the jobs out of there and bulldoze it flat. Of course they won't do any such thing, now that they are controlled by the gummint and the UAW. But I do find it interesting that they are adding a third shift to build more full-size pickup trucks after all the hype we've heard about the Volt and other economy cars. American's are voting with their pocketbooks, and they're buying large vehicles, despite the price of fuel.

You went to school in Flint? Did you attend Kettering? A few of my extended family members are graduates of the GM Institute(Kettering) as well. You do realize that Kettering is one of the best engineering schools in the nation, right? Ranked #1 and #2 in a couple of engineering fields. Seems odd for someone who apparently has some semblance of understanding of the extensive intertwined history of Flint/Durant/Buick/GM to suggest we bulldoze it flat. Perhaps if people who make ignorant suggestions like bulldozing entire populations and their homes out of existence, DID something instead of complaining, things might change in Flint. GM is doing their part, what are you and Michael Moore going to do to help the cause? I know Michael is busy in his mansion on Torch Lake, he took what he could from Flint and abandoned it, sounds like you did about the same. In my book you are both part of the problem, not willing or able to become a part of the solution. Meanwhile chastising those who are attempting to bring about change...shame on you and your ignorant suggestion to bulldoze the City. btw...What City do you live in now?

Yes, I went to Kettering University when it was known as General Motors Institute. Graduated in 1985 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. During the time I was there, Flint had the second-highest murder rate in the country. One of my roommates was assaulted by a local citizen who broke into the Academic Building. One of my girl-friends suffered an attempted rape in her house across the street from the school. It was not a pretty place to be in the early '80's. Actually, much of Flint has been bulldozed since I lived there. The GM Assembly plant which was the site of the 1933 Sit-Down strike was bulldozed many years ago.

Yes, exactly, a majority of Buick City has been bulldozed, and it serves as a prime example of the City and GM doing the right thing. When considered against other cities and plants like Packard and Highland Park that are still standing after so many years of neglect, Flint is actually ahead of the curve. They and GM have spent a lot of cash and man hours to make that land available for redevelopment, if you are familiar with the old Buick City complex, then you know just how large it was and how much it took to dismantle the complex. Flint has for the most part been very proactive in redevelopment strategies, especially when juxtaposed against other very nearby cities to the South and their redevelopment plans. As for anecdotal crime statistics, I fail to see how bulldozing the city flat as you suggested earlier is any real solution. Just sounds to me like "throw the baby out with the bath water" mentality. Buildings dont rape people, buildings dont commit murder...if you want to clean up Flint, bulldoze the criminals and leave the buildings alone.... create opportunity...which is exactly what GM is doing.

 

[LS2JSTS]

It's official... GM to invest 328 million in Flint "General Motors will invest $328 million in its Flint assembly plant, creating or preserving about 150 jobs, as the automaker prepares for next-generation full-size pickups, expected in 2013. "GM had already said it would add a third shift worth about 750 jobs to the Flint factory this year, with the positions going to transfers and laid-off workers. Today's Flint announcement is part of the 4,000-job, eight-state hiring blitz CEO Dan Akerson trumpeted in May, as GM prepares for U.S. consumer demand for cars and trucks to continue to grow. GM has already announced the bulk of those jobs, including 2,500 new jobs at its Detroit-Hamtramck factory."

 

[rk1407]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS

It's official... GM to invest 328 million in Flint "General Motors will invest $328 million in its Flint assembly plant, creating or preserving about 150 jobs, as the automaker prepares for next-generation full-size pickups, expected in 2013. "GM had already said it would add a third shift worth about 750 jobs to the Flint factory this year, with the positions going to transfers and laid-off workers. Today's Flint announcement is part of the 4,000-job, eight-state hiring blitz CEO Dan Akerson trumpeted in May, as GM prepares for U.S. consumer demand for cars and trucks to continue to grow. GM has already announced the bulk of those jobs, including 2,500 new jobs at its Detroit-Hamtramck factory."

"Creating or preserving about 150 jobs". Total nonsense. Which is it? It seems to be a bit of a red flag if a publicly traded company can't differentiate between a created or a preserved job. I think there may be a problem or a confused media relations department. Hope somebody checks into this because it makes GM look more incompetent than they already appear.

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: rk1407

..... "Creating or preserving about 150 jobs". Total nonsense. Which is it? It seems to be a bit of a red flag if a publicly traded company can't differentiate between a created or a preserved job. I think there may be a problem or a confused media relations department. Hope somebody checks into this because it makes GM look more incompetent than they already appear.

Could also be sloppy journalism. Unless I missed something in the link, the line above is not an actual quote from anyone at GM. I've been an "insider" on one or two local news items where the published item didn't resemble the reality that existed, but I'd never have known that if I didn't know the real story.

 

[LS2JSTS]

It's clearly a combination of both. Some of the 150 are preserved, some are new positions. Besides, it's the 750 newly created third shift assembly jobs that are the real story.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Originally Posted By: opus1

Originally Posted By: rk1407

..... "Creating or preserving about 150 jobs". Total nonsense. Which is it? It seems to be a bit of a red flag if a publicly traded company can't differentiate between a created or a preserved job. I think there may be a problem or a confused media relations department. Hope somebody checks into this because it makes GM look more incompetent than they already appear.

Could also be sloppy journalism. Unless I missed something in the link, the line above is not an actual quote from anyone at GM. I've been an "insider" on one or two local news items where the published item didn't resemble the reality that existed, but I'd never have known that if I didn't know the real story.

No, I wish it were, but I just checked the official announcement...see below. I suspect that it is a combination of both...some added as new, some preserved. In any case, this all amounts to picking gnat feces from pepper in my book. Some among us just want to dish on GM regardless of how menial and inconsequential the point they are trying to make. Notice how the 750 brand new good paying jobs get ignored in order to bloviate about a simple misuse in grammer. GM Media Flint Announcement "General Motors will invest $328 million to prepare its plant in Flint, Mich. to build the next generation of Chevrolet and GMC full-size pickup trucks, creating or retaining 150 jobs."

 

[A_Harman]

I read GM's announcement, and it didn't mention anything about the third shift and its 750 jobs. So is the number of jobs the mealy-mouthed "150 created or saved" or is it 750 created from adding a third shift?

 

[LS2JSTS]

The 750 jobs are from about a month ago when GM announced they would be adding a third shift at this plant in Flint. So the additions for Flint Assembly are: 750 new jobs for the added third shift...mostly to be filled by recalls from layoffs or transfers. AND 150 new and/or retained jobs to facilitate the plant change over. None of these numbers include Flint Metal Center(@1,500 employees), Flint Engine(@700 employees), Flint Tool & Die(@400 employees) or the engine block/part casting operations in nearby Saginaw and Bay City. Some of which have had major investments and announcements recently themselves.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Found the third shift announcement...it was from the end of January. Got the dates mixed in my mind due to the projected implementation timing. I think news outlets like the Free Press include it because it gives a sense of continuity to the bigger picture. As GM has had MANY of these announcements over the last year and a half. Flint Assembly Third Shift

 

[steve20]

"""God bless the unions...""" You can't be serious--------