Mansfield Makes Sense for the New GM
Mansfield Makes Sense for the New GM Committee Sends Letters to GM President and CEO, and Chair of the President’s Auto Task Force

To: Frederick “Fritz” Henderson, General Motors CEO
Ron Bloom, Chair, President’s Auto Task Force

From: Mansfield Makes Sense for the New GM Committee

Date: July 15, 2009


"If industrial communities want an explanation, then I'm sure they (GM) would go and talk to them. We expect the company to be as open and transparent as possible."
- Ron Bloom, President Obama’s Auto Task Force member

On behalf of the #1 performing stamping plant within General Motors, its 1,200 dedicated, hardworking employees and the communities within North Central Ohio that will be devastated by the announced closure of the Ontario-Mansfield Metal Center, we need your help in getting an explanation of what appears to be GM’s poor business decision to close this plant. We strongly believe that “Mansfield Makes Sense for the New GM” and that this plant is best-positioned to help the company succeed.

We are requesting that you meet with us to review the material that we have compiled – data that comes from GM itself – that clearly demonstrates and validates the value of the plant to the company’s future. We understand that GM has to make some tough decisions to reorganize the company for the future, but, to date, we have not been given satisfactory answers to important facts and critical questions, including:

  • Mansfield was first in the GM Scorecard evaluation.

  • The cost per ton at Mansfield is the second lowest of the plants; without the added-in costs for laid-off workers, it’s the lowest.

  • Mansfield has the best Competitive Operating Agreement in the company, and served as the model for the other agreements that were reached.

  • Mansfield is the only plan that has met the company’s production goals in Strokes per Hour, Line Transition, and Hours Operated per Die Change

In short, the plant and its workers have done all that the company asked of them – and then some – yet it’s become first on the chopping block. That doesn’t make sense and causes us to wonder about how the decision was reached.

We – and the taxpayers of America, who collectively have a tremendous financial stake in the company – need to have a better explanation of this decision, particularly given the inordinate and is proportionate negative impact this closing will have on the community. The Mansfield-Ontario Metal Center has a $190,000,000 economic impact on the region; it represents 40% of the income tax revenue The GM logo is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation for the City of Ontario (population 5,500). That level of economic damage is troubling and should be factored into the equation.

Time is growing short. The dismantling of the plant is accelerating and – if it is allowed to proceed without a meaningful review – the company’s “asset” will have a dramatically decreased value. We urgently request a review and personal hearing with you to present the details of our case. A delegation from Mansfield will meet with you to present our case…any time, any place. We look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Donald Culliver
Mayor of Mansfield

Kenneth Bender
Mayor of Ontario

Gary Utt
Richland County Commissioner


cc: Mr. Ed Whitacre, Chairman GM Board of Directors
Members of the President's Auto Task Force

Download PDF of letter » [99 KB]
Announcement!


MANSFIELD MAKES SENSE
PRESENTATION TO GM

The Mansfield Makes Sense for the New GM Committee presented these materials to GM Vice President of Global Manufacturing, Tim Lee on July 31st to make a case for retaining the Mansfield-Ontario Metal Center.
Download full presentation » [2.05 MB PDF]
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