The Janesville Project
Investment- 5 Billion $$$ In 10 Years
Investment Source- International, Federal, State, County & Private Funds
Purpose- To bring new alternative energy sources into production, including, but not limited to, vehicle propulsion, household wind & solar applications, high capacity storage devices, etc. A cooperative effort between industry, government and education/research institutions to construct a clearinghouse for alternative energy development and production.

First Project- Create a non-fossil fuel propulsion engine to replace mid-size to large diesel engines within 3 years and autos in 5 years, including retro-fit engines for current vehicles. In 4 years Janesville would be producing the first GM AE mid-duty trucks on the current truck line.

Research & Development- The brightest scientists, engineers, & support staff from around the world would relocate to Janesville and this area would become the international center for alternative energy development. Research would start January ’09 with federal and state funding.

Manufacturing- Just as UW Research Park was built around the visionary ingenuity of UW researchers, Janesville would become an incubator for manufacturing production facilities throughout the Stateline area and beyond.

Even if GM does stay i'll bet that the people hired or re-hired will be paid a much lower rare of pay to work there and probably no benefits.

Is anyone else curious about what the proposal was and why no details were released?

Rumor has it that the Janesville Chamber of Commerce has been contacted by a company called Testa Corportion looking for some temporary housing of 10 months to a year for their workers. This company specializes in site work. Here are a couple of links showing them in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RP9omhkx...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4eABh6af...

ihavealife...... Trust me I hope GM does change their mind. The job I was doing was connected to GM. Sorry I don't know what was said in 84-85 I was not in this area at that time. I was working for GM in another state before they shut it down. Sorry I didn't intend to offend you. But I sure pray you are right. I enjoyed the job I had. Would really enjoy being able to return to it.

momof5 was right when she wrote about corporations. The purpose of a corporation is to make money for its owners, the stockholders. If it makes financial sense to close the Janesville plant and move operations to China, this is what the corporation is obligated to do. A corporation does not exist to provide employment for the workers of any city.
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By the same line of reasoning, JP Cullen would not retool the factory for free or at cost. Are the workers supposed to work for free? Would the suppliers give their materials to JP Cullen for free? Should the corporation not make a profit when they could instead be making a profit on other projects?
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The state could conceivably pay JP Cullen for the work instead of GM footing the bill, but JP Cullen would definitely not work for free. If the state pays, this means that all Wisconsin taxpayers pay through higher taxes.

I don't want to bust anyone's bubble and wish all the GM workers and those you have lost their jobs or on lay off at this time do to GM shutting down or getting ready to pull the plug. Once GM makes the announcement to close a plant it is a done deal. I am a victim of a GM closing. We offer them everything you can think of to change their mind. But I was told my plant could work for free and it would not change a thing. They were offered change in taxes, work rules, more land, more or less a run of the city. But nothing stays the same. I wish you luck on getting GM to change their minds. Janesville will be different when it's all done. But Janesville will survive

Thats the land along Jackson St. before Kellog Ave. and its not part of allied anymore thats part of the pit they sold A couple years ago to Silha excavation..... Sorry to anyone who actually got their hopes up on this location.

Does anyone else have a problem with this??? "Doyle issued a statement after his Friday meeting with GM executives in Detroit, saying „a strong, comprehensive proposal“ was presented to keep GM operating in Janesville. Doyle spokesman Lee Sensenbrenner would not release details of what was discussed."

Why not release the details???

Is the allied property the one on delavan drive right next to the interstate?

That would be great, but I think that word would have gotten out if anything had been decided about the plant. Wow, if this thing would get turned around, it would be the best thing that has happened to this area in a long time.

I went by Allied and the fence is down and earth is being moved Maybe there preping the land to build the new plant

momof5 -
Texas does not have a stamping plant.

Some of the land GM bought is were allied transport is,

momof 5. the trend these days is to have stamping operations on site.

Thers a difference between "no charge" and "at cost".

garyprimer: Someone else, on a different thread, suggested it. Not I, said the fly. IMO, JP Cullen would go bankrupt if they offered to do the work for no charge. There's too much to be done to bring the plant from antiquated to semi-modern.
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janesvillean: Why is that?

"General Motors as a CORPORATION has a fidicuary responsibility to protect its bottom line and ensure the longevity of the CORPORATION. In carrying out that responsibility, they cannot worry about hurt feelings."
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Which is one of the things seriously wrong with this country right now.

Why would JP Cullen offer to work for free for GM? This is the kind of thinking that gets under other people's skins.

even if, let's say JP Cullen, did offer to retool the plant at either no cost or a nominal cost to GM, it does not change the semantics. Wisconsin is not close in proximity to the stamping plants...Ohio, Texas, etc are. GM is paying some of the highest taxes, even with the incentives and "turn the other cheek" approach, here in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is not a business friendly state--unless it's a waterpark or tourist business in the Dells.
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These a reason auto manufacturers are building in Tennessee and Kentucky. And, it's not because they are country music fans or particularly fond of bluegrass folks.
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General Motors as a CORPORATION has a fidicuary responsibility to protect its bottom line and ensure the longevity of the CORPORATION. In carrying out that responsibility, they cannot worry about hurt feelings.

I remain hopeful, but I would not say I am optimistic. Perhaps if this were a deal offering state-backed financing in the nine-figure range -- not just another modernization loan, but a revamp of the entire plant -- it might be worth GM's consideration. (Even then, it may not be worth the taxpayers' consideration ....)
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The only way to move forward, I would agree, is a Janesville Assembly dedicated to 21st-century technology including alternative fuel vehicles. Certainly just shifting some standard passenger car production here for a while would only delay a closing a few more years, and then we'd be right back here again.

with GM refocusing its efforts on alternative fuel vehicles, could they possibly alter the plant in Janesville?

It doesn't matter what deal the state of Wisconsin offers GM to stay at Janesville. The fact is GM does not need to continue to build as many SUVs that it once did. What is Janesville going to build? There is no other product within GM that needs a plant to be built in. I am very happy that everyone is trying, but some facts are difficult to overcome. It is not that GM just wants to close a plant, but does not need the capacity.

No details were mentioned as of yet, but I think it's just the notion that the meeting was set and all those involved are hoping for something good to come. It sounds like it was a very positive meeting from news flashes. Just hope they don't forget who really did the work on this, the shop committee at local 95.

Ihavealife, what details do you have? None are mentioned in this story.

Thanks to everyone for the effort put forth to secure a future for the Janesville GM plant.