Orion Assembly
Encyclopedia
Orion Assembly is a 4300000 sqfoot General Motors
vehicle assembly plant located in Orion Township, Michigan
. The plant currently assembles the Chevrolet Sonic. the plant employs 159 salaried employees and 1,300 hourly employees.
cars. Orion Assembly produced the Chevrolet Malibu
and Pontiac G6
until 2009, when the plant was idled due to the General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization
of 2009. Under an agreement with the UAW
, the plant will begin assembling the successor to the South Korean-built Chevrolet Aveo
, the Chevrolet Sonic, in 2011 — making it the only subcompact car currently assembled in America.
Later in 2011, the plant will begin manufacturing the Buick Verano
.
In the past, GM assembled subcompact vehicles in Mexico or in South Korea due to lower cost labor rates in those countries. Under the new agreement with the UAW, GM will use domestic laborers earning less than under previous contracts and slimmed down labor rules to make assembling subcompact vehicles in the US economically competitive. This arrangement replaced GM's previous plan to import a new subcompact vehicle from China. Orion township and the State of Michigan offered competitive tax breaks to keep the plant open and to build the new subcompact. Orion's bid was selected over others from plants in Wisconsin and Tennessee.
gave a ceremonial dedication speech at the plant. Michigan Governor Jim Blanchard, United States Senators from Michigan Carl Levin
and Don Riegle, United States Representative (from the local district) William Broomfield
and notable General Motors executives, including chairman and CEO Roger Smith also attended the ceremony.
During his speech, Reagan commended both GM and the United Auto Workers
for their progress in the automotive industry.
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
vehicle assembly plant located in Orion Township, Michigan
Orion Township, Michigan
Orion Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 35,394 at the 2010 census. The official motto of the township and village is "Where living is a vacation". Orion Township contains the much smaller village of Lake Orion...
. The plant currently assembles the Chevrolet Sonic. the plant employs 159 salaried employees and 1,300 hourly employees.
History
Orion Assembly commenced production on December 1, 1983 with the 1985 model C-bodyGM C platform
The General Motors C platform was an automobile platform designation used for full sized luxury cars until 2005.-Rear wheel drive:...
cars. Orion Assembly produced the Chevrolet Malibu
Chevrolet Malibu
Malibus and all other Chevelles were completely restyled for 1968 with semi-fastback rooflines on two-door hardtops and wheelbases split to on two-door models and 118 for four-door sedans and station wagons. Engine offerings included a new V8 rated at that replaced the V8 that had served as the...
and Pontiac G6
Pontiac G6
The Pontiac G6 was a mid-size car produced under the Pontiac brand of American automaker General Motors.It was introduced in the fall of 2004 to replace the Grand Am. The car was built on the GM Epsilon platform which it shared with the Chevrolet Malibu and Saab 9-3 along with other General Motors...
until 2009, when the plant was idled due to the General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization
General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization
The General Motors Chapter 11 sale of the assets of automobile manufacturer General Motors and some of its subsidiaries was implemented through section 363 of Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York...
of 2009. Under an agreement with the UAW
United Auto Workers
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico, and formerly in Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial...
, the plant will begin assembling the successor to the South Korean-built Chevrolet Aveo
Chevrolet Aveo
The Chevrolet Aveo is a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002, originally by the South Korean General Motors subsidiary, GM Daewoo—and later by other GM-affiliated entities...
, the Chevrolet Sonic, in 2011 — making it the only subcompact car currently assembled in America.
Later in 2011, the plant will begin manufacturing the Buick Verano
Buick Verano
The Buick Verano is a four-door, five passenger, compact sedan with a front engine, front-wheel drive layout projected to go on sale in North America in the fourth quarter of 2011 as a 2012 model...
.
In the past, GM assembled subcompact vehicles in Mexico or in South Korea due to lower cost labor rates in those countries. Under the new agreement with the UAW, GM will use domestic laborers earning less than under previous contracts and slimmed down labor rules to make assembling subcompact vehicles in the US economically competitive. This arrangement replaced GM's previous plan to import a new subcompact vehicle from China. Orion township and the State of Michigan offered competitive tax breaks to keep the plant open and to build the new subcompact. Orion's bid was selected over others from plants in Wisconsin and Tennessee.
Dedication ceremony
On July 5, 1984, President Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
gave a ceremonial dedication speech at the plant. Michigan Governor Jim Blanchard, United States Senators from Michigan Carl Levin
Carl Levin
Carl Milton Levin is a Jewish-American United States Senator from Michigan, serving since 1979. He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
and Don Riegle, United States Representative (from the local district) William Broomfield
William Broomfield
William S. Broomfield, or Bill Broomfield, is a retired politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.-Early life:Broomfield was born in Royal Oak, Michigan. He graduated from high school in 1940 and attended Michigan State College at East Lansing. During the Second World War, he served in the...
and notable General Motors executives, including chairman and CEO Roger Smith also attended the ceremony.
During his speech, Reagan commended both GM and the United Auto Workers
United Auto Workers
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico, and formerly in Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial...
for their progress in the automotive industry.
Products
- 1985–2005 Buick Park AvenueBuick Park AvenueThe Buick Park Avenue is a full-size car built by General Motors and sold by its Buick division. The nameplate was first used since 1975 as a top trim level of the Buick Electra, and the Park Avenue became a standalone model for the 1991 model year, replacing the Electra...
- 1985-1993 Cadillac DeVilleCadillac DeVilleThe de Ville was originally a trim level and later a model of General Motors' Cadillac marque. The first car to bear the name was the 1949 Coupe de Ville, a prestige trim level of the Series 62 luxury coupe. The last model to be formally known as a de Ville was the 2005 Cadillac Deville, a...
- 1985-1992 Cadillac FleetwoodCadillac FleetwoodLawrence P. Fisher was the Fisher brother most closely involved with Cadillac in its early years. In 1916 he joined the Fisher Body Company which had been formed by two of his brothers in 1908. Larry was one of four of the seven Fisher brothers who brought Fisher Body Corporation under the General...
(FWD) - 1993 Cadillac Sixty SpecialCadillac Sixty SpecialThe Sixty Special name has been used at Cadillac to denote a special model since the 1938 Bill Mitchell-designed Series 60 derivative. Although the 1938 model began in Cadillac's lowest price range, soon the Sixty Special name would be synonymous for some of Cadillac's most luxurious...
- 1985–1996 Oldsmobile 98Oldsmobile 98The Oldsmobile 98 was a full-size automobile and the flagship model of the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The name first appeared in 1941 and was used again after American consumer automobile production resumed post-World War II...
- 1995–1999 Buick RivieraBuick RivieraThe Riviera by Buick is an automobile produced by Buick in the United States from the 1963 to 1999 model years, with 1,127,261 produced.A full-size coupé or personal luxury car, the early models of the Riviera in particular have been highly praised by automotive journalists and writers.A common...
- 1995–2003 Oldsmobile AuroraOldsmobile AuroraThe Oldsmobile Aurora was a full-size sports sedan made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors and launched in 1995. The Aurora rode on the same Cadillac-derived G platform as the 2-door Buick Riviera....
- 2000–2005 Buick LeSabreBuick LeSabre1959LeSabre and all other 1959 Buicks not only got new names, but all-new styling as well, adopting the new GM B- and C-body used on all of the corporation's full-sized cars...
- 2000–2003 Pontiac BonnevillePontiac BonnevilleThe Pontiac Bonneville was an automobile built by the Pontiac division of General Motors from 1957 to 2005. It was introduced as a limited production performance convertible during the 1957 model year...
- 2005–2010 Pontiac G6Pontiac G6The Pontiac G6 was a mid-size car produced under the Pontiac brand of American automaker General Motors.It was introduced in the fall of 2004 to replace the Grand Am. The car was built on the GM Epsilon platform which it shared with the Chevrolet Malibu and Saab 9-3 along with other General Motors...
- 2008–2010 Chevrolet MalibuChevrolet MalibuMalibus and all other Chevelles were completely restyled for 1968 with semi-fastback rooflines on two-door hardtops and wheelbases split to on two-door models and 118 for four-door sedans and station wagons. Engine offerings included a new V8 rated at that replaced the V8 that had served as the...
- 2012 Buick VeranoBuick VeranoThe Buick Verano is a four-door, five passenger, compact sedan with a front engine, front-wheel drive layout projected to go on sale in North America in the fourth quarter of 2011 as a 2012 model...
- 2012 Chevrolet Sonic