Production has officially ended at General Motors‘ Warren Transmission Operations plant in Warren, Michigan.
The factory was one of five North American facilities GM earmarked for closure toward the end of 2018. The plant built six-speed automatic transmissions for the Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac XTS, both of which are produced at Oshawa Assembly in Ontario, Canada, which will also close later this year.
Warren Transmission Operations employed 232 hourly workers and another 30 salaried workers for a total of 262, according to GM’s profile page for the now-shuttered facility. Employees were represented by UAW Local 909. It was first opened in 1941 and has been under GM’s control since the automaker purchased it in 1958.
“We appreciate their commitment and hard work to build the highest quality possible into each and every transmission produced at Warren Transmission Operations,” GM said in a prepared statement.
Roughly 60 workers from the plant have taken transfers to another GM facility, as the automaker is encouraging many displaced employees to do, while 25 decided to retire. GM indicates the plant is unallocated for now, so it could receive a new transmission to build in the future, although that will depend on how negotiations between the UAW and GM go. The UAW’s contract with GM expires in mid September.
Warren Transmission could be tapped to build a different type of transmission one day in the future, as the six-speed automatics it was building are considered inefficient and out-of-date at a time when many cars and crossovers use eight- or nine-speed automatics. GM may also want to use the manufacturing space to make other components, but again, its future hinges on the UAW’s coming agreement with GM.
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Source: WFMZ
Comments
Given its proximity to the Warren technical centre I would be surprised if this doesn’t find some use in the near future.
Another 262 jobs going to China. Thanks Barra.
Are you saying Impala and XTS transmissions are going to be made in China? These jobs aren’t going nowhere – it’s called consolidation.
Its called puss poor management and market failure on the part of Machette Mary and her wrecking crew.
I believe these transmissions are still produced in Mexico.
What type of idiot are you, Joe B? The article CLEARLY posts that the employees are transferred or retiring. Only a idiot (like the POTUS) will make that stupid comment!
GM IS CLOSING AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PLANT IN MICHIGAN, HUMM NOW THEY ARE MAKING A MID ENGINE CORVETTE THAT YOU CAN ONLY GET WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION! SINCE GM CLOSED A TRANSMISSION PLANT ,WHERE IS THE TRANSMISSION COMING FROM? GM HAS THE SMARTEST ENGINEERS THAT CAN DESIGN NEW ENGINES, A MID ENGINE CORVETTE , ALONG WITH ONE AWESOME TAILGATE GOR THE GMC PICKUP , GOOD IDEA WOULD BE FOR THE SILVERADO TOO!. WHER IS THE TRANSMISSION COMING FROM FOR THE NEW VETTE??