BRODHEAD - Tuesday's announcement that General Motors will close its Janesville plant by the end of 2010 was not a shock for Glen Condon, plant manager at Woodbridge Corporation in Brodhead.
But it was a disappointment.
Thirty-seven percent of Woodbridge's volume is producing urethane foam for car seats used in medium-duty trucks and SUVs produced in Janesville.
"It's disappointing that they would take down a factory that's been there for so long and that has such high quality ratings," Condon said.
Condon said as GM phases out production in Janesville, he will have to do the same at Woodbridge. The company employs about 124 hourly and 29 salaried workers.
Woodbridge's workforce will be reduced unless a business can be found to replace the volume which will be vacated when GM closes in Janesville.
"We have to adjust as business goes down," Condon said. "We've been looking into the automotive market for a replacement for over a year now."
Condon said the market is competitive, with at least six to seven other companies producing the same material that Woodbridge does.
Woodbridge laid off around 115 employees in 2005.
CAR DEALERS AFFECTED
Larry Ayres heard a rumor from some GM employees last weekend that GM was going to close its Janesville plant, affecting about 2,600 employees.
For the owner of Ayres Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick in Brodhead, the news became reality Tuesday.
"I'm not surprised by it a bit," Ayres said. "I've been thinking about this for about five years, that someday it would be shut down."
Ayres said that doesn't make adjusting to the news any easier given the state of the economy.
Ayres would not comment on how many medium-duty trucks and SUVs he sells a month, but said sales of the vehicles have decreased over the last three years.
Sales of the vehicles at Dearth Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, GMC Truck in Monroe have been steady, owner Chuck Dearth said.
Dearth was not surprised at Tuesday's news.
"I think it was almost common knowledge that it was going to happen, because it was one of the older plants in the system," Dearth said. The Janesville plant opened in 1919 and was the oldest of GM's remaining plants. "I was a bit surprised it happened this quick."
Dearth said he's not sure how the closing would affect his dealership. He said it depended on what happened to GM workers at the plant, who receive bonuses when they buy GM vehicles.
"It's not going to affect our sales or marketing," Dearth said. "But it will have a trickle-down affect on us and other businesses.
But it was a disappointment.
Thirty-seven percent of Woodbridge's volume is producing urethane foam for car seats used in medium-duty trucks and SUVs produced in Janesville.
"It's disappointing that they would take down a factory that's been there for so long and that has such high quality ratings," Condon said.
Condon said as GM phases out production in Janesville, he will have to do the same at Woodbridge. The company employs about 124 hourly and 29 salaried workers.
Woodbridge's workforce will be reduced unless a business can be found to replace the volume which will be vacated when GM closes in Janesville.
"We have to adjust as business goes down," Condon said. "We've been looking into the automotive market for a replacement for over a year now."
Condon said the market is competitive, with at least six to seven other companies producing the same material that Woodbridge does.
Woodbridge laid off around 115 employees in 2005.
CAR DEALERS AFFECTED
Larry Ayres heard a rumor from some GM employees last weekend that GM was going to close its Janesville plant, affecting about 2,600 employees.
For the owner of Ayres Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick in Brodhead, the news became reality Tuesday.
"I'm not surprised by it a bit," Ayres said. "I've been thinking about this for about five years, that someday it would be shut down."
Ayres said that doesn't make adjusting to the news any easier given the state of the economy.
Ayres would not comment on how many medium-duty trucks and SUVs he sells a month, but said sales of the vehicles have decreased over the last three years.
Sales of the vehicles at Dearth Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, GMC Truck in Monroe have been steady, owner Chuck Dearth said.
Dearth was not surprised at Tuesday's news.
"I think it was almost common knowledge that it was going to happen, because it was one of the older plants in the system," Dearth said. The Janesville plant opened in 1919 and was the oldest of GM's remaining plants. "I was a bit surprised it happened this quick."
Dearth said he's not sure how the closing would affect his dealership. He said it depended on what happened to GM workers at the plant, who receive bonuses when they buy GM vehicles.
"It's not going to affect our sales or marketing," Dearth said. "But it will have a trickle-down affect on us and other businesses.