Some jobs returning to the under-used Spring Hill complex are better than none.
General Motors Company said today in a media invitation that it will make a powertrain investment announcement in its Spring Hill complex in Tennessee at 10 a.m. central time Friday.
The sprawling plant is only partially used since now defunct Saturn models were transferred to a now closed plant in Delaware and the Chevrolet Traverse model was moved out of state to Michigan.
Informed opinion from multiple sources has it that Spring Hill will make an upgraded version of the “Ecotec” four-cylinder engine in anticipation of increased need for more fuel efficient engines as more stringent emission and fuel economy regulations take hold starting in 2012.
The plant already makes four-cylinder engines for the popular Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain midsize crossover vehicles, and the Buick LaCrosse full-size sedan. Industry observers have it that GM is about to phase out larger and more fuel thirsty V6 and V8 engines in many of its models.
Mark Reuss, GM’s North America president; Joe Ashton, United Auto Workers vice president – GM Department and governor Phil Bredesen will be at the press conference. UAW members are privately saying that some 400 laid-off workers will return to work.
GM declined further comment pending Friday’s ceremony.
The struggling automaker laid off almost 2,000 workers at Spring Hill last year when it moved production of its Chevrolet Traverse model to Lansing, Michigan.
Union officials estimate that 800 of those workers are now employed at other GM plants.
Spring Hill of course is famous for the 1990 launch of the Saturn line – or infamous – given what critics say was a lost opportunity two decades ago when Saturn successfully took on established Japanese small cars, only to see internal GM politics starve the fledgling car company of new products, cancel its modern operating agreement with the UAW and transfer Saturn models out of their home plant in 2007.
Saturns were a sales success with a cult following among owners which resulted in "homecoming" parties at the plant that drew 30-40,000.
Ultimately a bankrupt GM delivered the coup de grace and killed Saturn entirely last year.