Livonia Engine and Willow Run Powertrain to close

[DetroitDad]

Two big employers in our metro will be closing, Livonia Engine and Willow Run. Plants will also be closing in Flint, Pontiac, Lake Orion, and Grand Rapids. The article mentions Parma Components, but doesn't mention it's location. Is Parma in Michigan?

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/a...php?blogid=755

Posted by David Shepardson [[The Detroit News) on Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 9:42 AM
GM plant closures hit Michigan hard

General Motors Corp. is drastically shrinking its footprint in Michigan, closing another six factories by the end of next year. The company announced the names of the 11 plants that will close by the end of next year -- and a 12th that will close in 2011. GM CEO Fritz Henderson was briefing members of Congress during a conference call at 10:30 a.m. today
GM will close Lake Orion assembly by September -- though it will be on standby -- and close permantly its Pontiac assembly plant by October. The Spring Hill, Tenn. plant will close in November and also go on standby. GM's Wilmington, Del., plant will close next month.
Also closing are Indianpolis stamping [[December 2011), Mansfield, Ohio stamping [[June 2010) and Pontiac stamping [[December 2010), though it is on standby.
On the powertrain side, Livonia Engine will close in June 2010, Flint North Components in December 2010, Willow Run in December 2010, Parma Components in December 2010 and Fredericksburg, Va., components in December 2010.
GM also listed its Grand Rapids stamping plant that's already closed and its Massena Castings, N.Y., plant that closed May 1.
GM is also shuttering three service and parts warehouses in Boston, Jacksonville, Fla., and Columbus, Ohio, by the end of the year.

[Mackinaw]

Parma is Ohio.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Parma is outside Cleveland.

[missn]

Parma has the demographics of Livonia, with the charm of Warren.

[DetroitDad]

Well, Livonia Engine and Willow Run both employ a lot of people in Livonia and Western Wayne County. Livonia has a lot of parts suppliers too. Combine that with the many retail jobs and foreclosures, and it's clear that area is going to be hit hard. Isn't there a Chrysler plant and a couple large Ford plants located in that area? What are those facilities used for?

I was predicting Livonia Engine would close in coming decades. Livonia Engine was billed as one of the safe factories in that area. Many Westland and Livonia area residents were sure it would never close. This is has implications for us here in Detroit too, much of Wayne Counties money is made in Western Wayne County. What happens if Western Wayne County mirrors Eastern Wayne County?

Willow Run is a massive facility. My father and other relatives worked there before his retirement after over thirty years. In his final years they had begun talk of idling the plant, which happened shortly after he left. Large parts of the plant had been emptied, although they didn't lay off many workers then. Perfectly fine machines were put up for sale and moved out to the parking lot and left to rust because they had no use and no buyers [[kind of like the DPS warehouse debacle, in a way).

Willow Run Power-train is next to Willow Run Airport off Michigan Avenue. Back during world war two Willow Run was used to make B-24 Bombers. Large parts of the factory still has massive garage doors large enough to fit the airplanes through. Some of the cranes that were used to move the planes are still there up in the upper ceiling of the building.

[reddog289]

Because I only go by Livonia Powertrain at night, It always looks like its been closed. Had to check and see if the sign was lit.As for WillowRun formerly known as Hydramatic, My father and 2 of my Uncles moved to that plant when the Livonia Hydramatic plant burned down. My father and one Uncle stayed there and 3 of my cousins ended up working there. I have a strong connection to that place becuse I would not be here if not for that placeAt a retirement party for my Great Uncle who also worked there, My Mom met my Dad.

[MIRepublic]

The announcement was kind of strange for GM in Lansing. Since the Spring Hill, TN plant is shutting down, Lansing Delta Township gets production of the Chevy Traverse. This plant isn't getting any shutdown time, either, and, in fact, they are doing a whole bunch of overtime so as not to have to hire another shift. Meanwhile, the products of Lansing Grand River are also selling well, though, they will get regular summer downtime.

[Novine]

"Back during world war two Willow Run was used to make B-52 Bombers."

Uh, no. B-52s didn't fly until the early 50s. Willow Run was home to the B-24 Liberators.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willow_Run

[DetroitDad]

Ah, good catch Novine. Thanks for the correction.