Gov. Minner To Ask General Motors For Two More Models At Boxwood Road Plant

Dover - Governor Ruth Ann Minner on Monday made a statement following the news that the General Motors plant at Boxwood Road near Newport will cease production of the Saturn L-Series in July and not have a production model until the new Pontiac Solstice begins in April 2005. GM officials also told employees Monday that a new Saturn sports car will be produced at Boxwood Road starting early in 2006.

"While the long-term future of the GM plant seems secure with the Solstice being built starting in 2005 and the news of a new sports car to be built here starting in 2006, the announcement of a long shutdown of the plant is unfortunate. GM officials have told me that this is a business decision the company had to make based on the sales of the Saturn L-Series, not on any problem with our plant. In fact, the $50 million investment GM has announced for upgrading the plant will continue."

"In the last few weeks, I and my economic development staff have had repeated meetings and calls with GM, talking about the new Solstice line and the assistance the state will provide GM workers in retraining. Those conversations have furthered an ongoing relationship between GM and Delaware, a relationship that led to the planned $50 million upgrade."

"I am already making arrangements to go to Detroit as soon as possible to meet with General Motors leadership about the long-term future of Boxwood Road. I will present to them in person what my economic development staff has already communicated to GM this morning: our request that GM produce two more models at the plant, in addition to the two that are currently planned, in order to fully utilize the plant's capacity."

"Over the next weeks and months, we will work hard to convince GM to bring additional models to the Boxwood Road and, if necessary, to provide incentives toward that goal. And we will assess and work to lessen the impact of the temporary downtime on GM's employees and its suppliers."