GM to close Windsor plant

General Motors Corp. has announced plans to close its Windsor, Ont., transmission factory in 2010 after its current production mandates are finished.

The decision could leave as many as 1,400 workers jobless.

“We have worked extensively with our labour and government partners but have been led to the unavoidable conclusion that there are no available replacement products in the relevant timeframe for this location,” said Arturo Elias, GM Canada president.

GM said the Windsor plant would close in the second quarter of 2010.

This is the second major cutback announced by GM in less than a month. On April 28, the carmaker said it would cut a shift at its Oshawa pickup plant, eliminating 900 jobs, as demand for trucks declines under pressure from a building slowdown in the U.S.

The Windsor factory builds front wheel-drive 4-speed transmissions for export to the U.S. and Mexico. The transmissions are installed in regular and hybrid versions of medium and smaller vehicles, including the Pontiac G5, Chevrolet Malibu and Saturn Vue.