The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Kenosha Engine plant, owned by Chrysler, will shut down by October 2010 as part of Chrysler’s bankruptcy reorganization. Of note, it is the only engine plant of four (5 including the plant dedicated to the Dodge Viper and its V-10 that is not shared by any other model) being shut down, with plants in Michigan and Mexico remaining open.
With GM shuttering the Janesville plant last year, Delphi (formerly part of GM) finishing the shuttering of its Oak Creek plant, and Ford not having any plants in Wisconsin, this marks an end to a chapter in Wisconsin’s history.
And a very big chapter, indeed.
It wasn’t just Nash-Rambler/Chrysler and GM.
There were quite a few car-builders (and body-builders, and major parts-builders) in Wisconsin. Before Delco/Oak Creek it was Delco-Remy batteries (see what’s now a UW-M building on Farwell near North Ave.