Janesville residents were dealt a devastating blow yesterday, as General Motors announced it will end production at its auto plant there by 2010. GM had cut production of SUVs at the plant in recent years because of dwindling sales, so the announcement didn’t come as a total surprise.
The Janesville auto operation opened in 1919, and is considered GM’s oldest assembly plant. It currently employs 2600 workers. That’s about 1500 less than five years ago. The plant manufactures Chevrolet Tahoes and Suburbans, as well as the GMC Yukon. All have experienced a decline in sales over the years because of high gas prices.
State Senator Judy Robson represents the Janesville/Beloit area. She says the ripple effect of the planned shutdown will be felt far and wide.
“My heart goes out to all the workers and families whose futures have been thrown into uncertainty, not only for General Motors, but there are also a lot of GM suppliers and local businesses whose businesses go hand in hand with GM,” Robson says.
Robson says she doesn’t want to see the plant mothballed. So, the state’s first move will be to ask GM to produce another line of cars to replace the SUVs.
“Janesville and Rock County has been about cars and the automotive industry, and there’s going to be high demand for fuel efficient and hybrids and for other cars and we’re going to fight to have General Motors open up another line like that. There’s a history with General Motors. The state has been very good to them. We put in a new road so they’d have quick access to the interstate. We gave them millions of dollars in job training funds as well, and we will be poised to help in any way that we can to attract a new car line,” Robson says.
Robson doesn’t know how GM will respond to the state’s request for new production, but in the meantime, she says the Janesville area has prepared itself for the likelihood of a plant shutdown.
“Rock County is positioned to attract new businesses because we have a highly skilled and highly motivated work force, especially now. We have an excellent education system. We have Black Hawk Technical College that’s flexible and ready and able to train new workers for today and tomorrow, and also we’re close to the Interstate at I-43 and I-90, so we are really in a very good position to continue to move forward,” Robson says.
Robson says the city of Janesville, with its population of more than 61,000, has a lot to offer its workforce. In fact, its largest employer isn’t GM; it’s Mercy Health Care. She says in addition, Janesville has a booming agribusiness industry, and is home to several food processing plants. They include Hormel, Frito Lay and Kettle Chips.
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