Historic auto factory closes

[BUICK RACER]

Historic auto factory closes

Facility incorporated GM's first plant

FLINT

THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION

Saturday, March 13, 2004

By Todd Seibt

JOURNAL BUSINESS WRITER

Flint - Factory 31, a building with roots deep in Flint's automotive past, has been shuttered and its work moved to other areas of General Motors' Powertrain Flint North complex on the city's north side.

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The moves are part of an ongoing effort to consolidate facilities at the sprawling site, once part of the even-bigger Buick City complex. GM plans to demolish Factory 31 later this year.

"What we did was move engine component work to the engine plant, Factory 36," said Joseph Lawrence, a GM spokesman.

Factory 31 built engine components, such as manifolds for the engine plant, and automatic transmission components.

Some of the transmission components were part of a transmission that was phased out of GM's lineup, Lawrence said.

About 200 workers were affected by the moves. Engine component workers went with the work to the engine plant, and others were either reassigned at Flint North or retired, Lawrence said.

"Nobody got laid off, and everybody was pretty well absorbed," said Don Wilson, shop chairman of UAW Local 599, which represents hourly workers at the site.

Wilson said a significant number of workers elected to retire, having worked in the plant for all or most of their careers.

The best-known product from Flint North is the 3800 V-6 engine, versions of which go into a number of GM vehicles. Other plants at Flint North build various parts and components for GM vehicles.

The Flint-built 3.8-liter engine has been a mainstay in GM's powertrain lineup and is in GM's product plans into 2009.

Some workers have expressed concern that the volume of 3800 production might be cut. GM has made no announcements on that issue but has said the 3800 will be one of two engines offered in the new Buick LaCrosse sedan, which is expected to reach dealers' showrooms later this year.

Wilson and Lawrence both said Factory 31 was one of the oldest - if not the oldest - operational factory among GM's facilities.

Part of Factory 31 is the old Factory 11 - the first GM plant built in Flint for $1 million in 1909, shortly after William C. "Billy" Durant established GM, according to Journal files and Don Bent, a manufacturing engineering worker at Flint North who has studied the history of the site.

In 1953, Factories 11 and 31 were combined into one building and called Factory 31, Bent said.

At one time or another, everything from vehicles to engines have been built in the plant, Lawrence said.

***

Journal business writer James M. Miller contributed to this report. Todd Seibt covers automotive and business issues. He can be reached at (810) 766-6315 or at tseibt@flintjournal.com.

[Centurion]

Roberta, thanks for sharing this with us. I had brought my March "Bugle" to the computer, intending to ask whether Factory 31 was closing this year. (The "Bugle" article indicates continuous production from 1909 to 2004, but did not explicitly state that the plant was closing this year.) The article you've posted here answers the question.

I will be very interested in Don Bent's book on the Buick site in Flint whenever it is published.

[BUICK RACER]

There's a version out I saw last week at Flint North, will be there again on Monday, I'll get the info on how to acquire. I'm not sure it's the final version, but maybe it is?

[GSTURBO]

Don called last night and we talked quite a while about the book he is planning to work on ,to include the entire Buick complex with an emphasis on stories from the generations of people that have worked there. I believe he called me because someone told him I was 102 years old & would remember a lot.However I have trouble remembering my phone no. Norb

[BUICK RACER]

Norb, I know your phone number so call me when you need to know what it is, I also know where you live, and your email addy, let me know when you need help! Hey, then have you seen this booklet form of Plant 31? It's very interesting but it sounds like Don has more instore than just this Plant 31 thing, is that true? I was going to send him an email to find out more about what he is doing, as many of us are interested in this part of Buick history. Can you tell us more or should I email Don? Thanks as always!