The end of Willow Run - huge production plant of Ford, Kaiser-Frazer, Chevrolet ..... closed
The Willow Run production plant is probably one of the largest car factories in the world. Originally designed under Ford during the Second World War for the production of airplanes (B-24), the factories changed hands several times and were used in various ways.
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(Copyright: Howard R. Hollem (US Government)
After the war, Kaiser-Frazer took over the facilities, as described in AR 18 of 1950 (dated April 12, 1950):
"The founders immediately set about converting the enormous facilities of the now-leased Willow Run bomber plant, one of the largest factories in the world, for automobile production. First, they built a wooden model of the factory and equipped it with miniature machines, assembly lines and the like. All the structural changes that proved necessary were first carried out on the model," and in this way they finally arrived at a layout that seemed best suited to the sequence of work processes. Only then was the real factory set up according to the model. What was remarkable about this plant was that it united all work processes under one roof; in this respect, Willow Run occupies an exceptional position among American automobile factories. Railroad tracks and truck roads lead directly into the interior of the factory. The parts are unloaded exactly where the assembly line picks them up immediately. There is probably no other factory where the path from individual part to finished product is as thoroughly rationalized as in Willow Run. The first Kaiser-Frazer car left the assembly line in June 1946, barely eight months after the company took over the factory."
Later, the manufacturing facilities were taken over by Ford's competitor General Motors, as reported on page 7 of AR 49 of 1953 (dated Nov. 18, 1953).
Under General Motors, many important models were produced in Willow Runs, including Chevy trucks, the Chevy Nova and the Caprice, but especially the Chevrolet Corvair, which rolled off the assembly line from 1960 to 1969.
In an article from December 19, 1974 (AR 53/1974), it is reported that the GM Wankel engine is to be built in Willow Run (marked with an arrow).
On June 1, 2009, General Motors announced the closure of Willow Run as part of its turnaround plan. Today, on December 23, 2010, the large facilities will be permanently closed, bringing to an end an important period in American auto manufacturing history.
