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2005 Chevy Blazer Overview

Closure of Plant Ends 67 Years of GM Production

Less than a month after announcing that its rear-drive Astro and Safari mid-vans would be discontinued and the Baltimore plant that builds them shuttered, General Motors announced that it would be ending production of another "classic" duo, the Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy, and closing the Linden assembly plant that produces them.

Sales of the now outdated sport utility vehicles have been on the decline lately, and with no replacement planned, no alternative vehicle to substitute it at the 67 year old New Jersey facility, and a current need for GM to downsize operations in order to meet financial targets, the end was inevitable.

All salaried workers at the plant were recommended to seek jobs at one of GMs other locations, but that only

Another classic General Motors duo, the Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy, came to a production end on Wednesday, April 20th, 2005. (Photo: General Motors)

made up 110 out of 1,760 workers. The remaining 1,650 hourly employees would have been looking for work outside of GM, or still are. Prior to the announcement of the plants closure, GM was paring down staff as Blazer and Jimmy sales were dropping off. Reports at the time, from the Detroit News among others, speculated that GM would most likely shut down the operation ahead of the original summer of 2005 final date.

But GM spokesman Stefan Weinmann denied any early shutdown, stating

GM has announced no plans to replace the off-road capable SUVs since production ended, but instead is counting on the new car-based Chevy Equinox and upcoming Pontiac Torrent to deliver the sales numbers Blazer and Jimmy once enjoyed, despite the two new utes being replacements for the Suzuki Grand Vitara-based Tracker and minivan-based Pontiac Aztek respectively. (Photo: General Motors)

that while there had been temporary shutdowns due to lack of demand, his employer would not change the original scheduled date to shutter the facility.

However, with sales of the Blazer and Jimmy so slow that shutdowns were numerous, with an average of two weeks of production for every month in 2004, and then GM experiencing one of the worst first quarters on record this year complicating the issue, the Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy came

Even with the launch of newer vehicles, GM saw a market for the less expensive SUVs and therefore production continued and the plant stayed open for about 3 years. (Photo: General Motors)

to a production end earlier than initially forecast by GM, as expected by market analysts, on Wednesday, April 20th, 2005.

Just how slow were sales? Well, as of October 2004, no Jimmys had been sold in the United States at all for the year, down from just 52 sold through October in 2003. Instead, the outgoing GMC had been sold in Canada, and still is, along with the Blazer. The Blazer has done much better in the U.S., which wouldnt be difficult, yet demand was down 27.5 percent toward the end of 2004, to 31,271 units sold through October.

Initially when the new Chevy TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy were introduced, their two smaller, less refined predecessors were

The Linden facility, opened in 1937, housing a total of 2.6 million square feet of floor space. (Photo: General Motors)

to be cancelled, but GM saw a market for the less expensive SUVs and therefore production continued and the plant stayed open for about 3 years, as of this date.

The Linden facility, opened in 1937, housed a total of 2.6 million square feet of floor space. It dropped its second shift in 2002, when sales of the aging sport utilities began to wane. Reports cite the plants location, outside of the majority of supplier hubs, its age, GMs current eroding market share and a general economic slump as reasons behind the plant closure, emphasizing that the move was not a result of the quality or skill of the Linden workforce.

So when was the last time GM shut down an assembly plant? The year was 1999, the place Flint, Michigan and the facility the Buick City complex. The closure brought international scrutiny, much

It is entirely possible that further cuts could include further plant closures. (Photo: General Motors)

in part to a film made by controversial documentary maker Michael Moore, called "Roger and Me", named for previous GM CEO Roger Smith. Obviously GM will make sure not to be at the brunt end of such public criticism again, and word has it the automaker is working with displaced employees to assist in finding replacement jobs, either within the GM family or outside.

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