2005 Chevy Blazer Overview

Closure of Plant Ends 67 Years of GM Production

Less than a month after announcing that its rear-drive Astro and Safari mid-vans would be discontinued and the Baltimore

Another classic General Motors duo, the Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy, came to a production end on Wednesday, April 20th, 2005. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

plant that builds them shuttered, General Motors announced that it would be ending production of another "classic" duo, the Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy, and closing the Linden assembly plant that produces them.

Sales of the now outdated sport utility vehicles have been on the decline lately, and with no replacement planned, no alternative vehicle to substitute it at the 67 year old New Jersey facility, and a current need for GM to downsize operations in order to meet financial targets, the end was inevitable.

All salaried workers at the plant were recommended to seek jobs at one of GMs other locations, but that only made up 110 out of 1,760 workers. The remaining 1,650 hourly

GM has announced no plans to replace the off-road capable SUVs since production ended, but instead is counting on the new car-based Chevy Equinox and upcoming Pontiac Torrent to deliver the sales numbers Blazer and Jimmy once enjoyed, despite the two new 'utes being replacements for the Suzuki Grand Vitara-based Tracker and minivan-based Pontiac Aztek respectively. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

employees would have been looking for work outside of GM, or still are. Prior to the announcement of the plant's closure, GM was paring down staff as Blazer and Jimmy sales were dropping off. Reports at the time, from the Detroit News among others, speculated that GM would most likely shut down the operation ahead of the original summer of 2005 final date.

But GM spokesman Stefan Weinmann denied any early shutdown, stating that while there had been temporary shutdowns due to lack of demand, his employer would not change the original scheduled date to shutter the facility.

However, with sales of the Blazer and Jimmy so slow that shutdowns were numerous, with an average of two weeks of production for every month in 2004, and then GM experiencing one of the worst first quarters on record this year complicating the issue, the Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy came to a production end earlier than initially forecast by GM, as expected by market analysts, on Wednesday, April 20th, 2005.