Shreveport Plant Operations And Personnel Questions

[karl]

They would have taken it if it was of any use to them.

 

[Ronald Levesque]

I'd bet most of that equipment is now old and outdated like the Hummer itself and will eventually be sold off at fire sale prices or end up looking like my picture below...Nothing but scrap metal that will eventually wind up being future American or inport vehicles....Thats why its been sitting there just rusting away!

 

[Ronald Levesque]

Was also thinking the day they have the big auction at that plant for all that outdated scrap metal there will be three big bidder show up....the two below and one guy representing a large Chinese savage company offering pennys on the dollar for all of it....He will say: Take it or leave it, and yes thats my first and final offer!

So sorry to say but unfortunately Sanford & son won't be smiling and will be driving that old red truck back home empty on that day.

 

[goofyone]

They would have taken it if it was of any use to them.

I'd bet most of that equipment is now old and outdated like the Hummer itself and will eventually be sold off at fire sale prices or end up looking like my picture below...Nothing but scrap metal that will eventually wind up being future American or inport vehicles....Thats why its been sitting there just rusting away!

View attachment 2313

The Shreveport plant is actually a modern facility that produced light pickups (Chevy Colorado's and GMC Canyon's) until the end of August 2012 and last underwent a major refurbishment in 2007. During GM's bankruptcy in 2009 it was placed under the control of 'Old GM'/Racer Trust and leased back to 'New GM' for a few years. As the plant was owned by Racer Trust, and not GM, it was not stripped of equipment after the shutdown thus leaving a lot of valuable equipment available.

Elio Motors has been involved with Racer Trust for several years as they first attempted to secure another facility in Michigan and when that fell through they were instead able to negotiate a package which included two separate deals for the entire Shreveport plant which was just becoming available in 2012. One deal was to purchase all the equipment for about $27 million and the other was to negotiate a price for the plant property for $7.5 million which was ultimately paid by Caddo Parish and then leased to IRG. IRG specializes in this type of property and is owned by an Elio board member and intends to sublet about a third of the plant to Elio Motors and find other tenants for the rest of the space. An interesting item to note, as it shows some shrewd business skills on the part of Paul Elio and/or his team, is that by convincing Caddo Parish to purchase the plant IRG instead invested the $7.5 million they would have used to purchase the plant into Elio Motors.

 

[karl]

There are things there that they will be able to use, I hope. Much of what is there will not. production machinery is very task specific. some will be modifiable some will not. Some is very expensive scrap.

 

[goofyone]

There are things there that they will be able to use, I hope. Much of what is there will not. production machinery is very task specific. some will be modifiable some will not. Some is very expensive scrap.

While I am sure there are some items which will be scrapped the fact that this is a modern plant means most of the equipment is reusable. If you research modern vehicle assembly plants you will find out that the equipment used is actually very flexible as it is designed to accommodate the building of a wide range of vehicles on a single assembly line. Modern plants can build different size cars, SUV's and mini-vans all on demand using the same assemble line. This flexibility in modern plant equipment is what makes the plants reconfiguration for Elio's use and selling the unneeded equipment entirely realistic.

Elio Motors made a separate deal just for the equipment because the plant already contains most of the equipment they needed and would have been useful even if the whole property could not be secured. Comau is Elio's equipment and tooling supplier because they were the equipment provider that GM used. The plant contains a completely modern painting and chassis treatment area which was built with the new assembly building which was newly constructed in 2002 and updated in the 2007 refurb. The plant also already has an engine machining and assembly area, a robotic frame welding area, and already contains the equipment needed to stamp the SMC FRC composite body panels as GM used this type of material for truck bumper covers.

 

[Snick]

Please alert us when this equipment is listed for sale in trade sites and labx.com, etcetera.

 

[wayne kemp]

This is where it should happen a year from now.
Will your Elio be in the parking lot

?

 

[Ekh]

This is where it should happen a year from now.
Will your Elio be in the parking lot View attachment 2477 ?

I hope it will be on its way to my house, not in the parking lot! Thanks for posting this.

 

[LillyMayPatterson #1685 & #5648]

I hope it will be on its way to my house, not in the parking lot! Thanks for posting this.

That is beautiful. Where's Elio Area?