Buick City was a massive automobile manufacturing complex in the northwest of Flint, Michigan. Elements of the 235-acre (950,000 m2) complex dated from 1904, but it became known as Buick City in 1985. The Buick Site is still producing components for GM facilities and outside buyers. Operations ceased in 2010. The site will be vacated by GM employees and site responsibilities will be transferred to Motors Liquidation Corp as of December 6, 2010. The final cars built at Buick City were the Pontiac Bonneville and the Buick LeSabre.
The plant originated with Buick before the formation of General Motors. Other elements were built by early manufacturers and suppliers like Fisher Body. The Buick City concept represented a successful attempt by General Motors to experiment with just-in-time manufacturing methods in response to Japanese manufacturers. The experiment included successes: The 1989 Buick LeSabre built in Buick City was ranked the top car in the J.D. Power and Associates rankings for that year; it was the first American built car to appear on the list. In 1999, the year the plant was closed, Buick City won the Platinum Award. As of 2006, it was the only General Motors plant given this award. The failure of auto manufacturing in Flint was lamented in Michael Moore's documentary film, Roger & Me.
Famous quotes containing the word city:
“A city on whom plenty held full hand,
For riches strewed herself even in her streets;
Whose towers bore heads so high they kissed the clouds,
And strangers ne’er beheld but wondered at.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)