Rebuilding Lordstown’s record and reputation began years ago

Long-time Lordstown watcherS had to be struck by the low-key nature of Thursday’s momentous — at least for the Mahoning Valley — announcement that the manufacturing site for the next generation of the Chevrolet Cruze has already been selected. And, yes, the new model, likely badged for the 2015 model year, will be built in Lordstown.

It can be seen as a testament to the reputation Lordstown has established as a plant that builds quality automobiles in an environment of cooperation between workers and management.

That cooperative spirit has been nearly 20 years in the making, dating to a time when powerful forces in Detroit were calling for the plant to be written off. There was a very real possibility that the Cavalier and Sunfire would be the last cars off the line.

Many were involved in turning that around, but two men, plant manager Herman Maass and United Auto Workers Local 1112 shop foreman Al Alli, will be remembered for the work they did together to avert a shutdown slated for 2000.

A few years of nerve-wracking uncertainty were capped by a dramatic announcement that Lordstown had been spared.

Certainly there was excitement yesterday with the confirmation of rumors that Lordstown had already been chosen to produce the new Cruze model. But it came absent any public campaigns to convince Detroit that the Mahoning Valley knew how important GM was to this area.

That is not to say that Lordstown’s now-bright future was a given.

What it took

It took concessions from the employees. It took the intervention of the Obama administration to save General Motors from bankruptcy. And, just as before, it took state government to pledge its support. Even as former Govs. Bob Taft and Ted Strickland got credit in the past, GM Manufacturing Manager Arvin Jones gave a “special thanks ... to Gov. John Kasich and his team at JobsOhio for their strong leadership and advocacy for GM and our employees.”

But most of all it took success in the market place. The workers at GM are producing the second-fastest selling car in the General Motors line-up. When looking for a location to build a new product, it only makes sense to look first at the plant and work force that have been doing almost everything right.

Even as other segments of the Mahoning Valley economy are picking up, the Lordstown plant remains a vital factor. GM will invest about $200 million in retooling the plant, with much of that going to local providers of services and material. The 4,500 jobs at the plant bring about $240 million a year to the local economy. Millions more go to nearby suppliers and their employees. And all of that has a ripple effect throughout local private and public economies.

Lordstown’s prospects have changed dramatically over a relatively short period of time, and that’s going to be one of the best news stories of the decade.