USW Local 2-232

formerly PACE 7-232

Representing  employees at Briggs & Stratton Corp. and Strattec Security Corp. in Milwaukee, WI

Membership Meeting 

Sunday December 7, 2008

Frank Monreal's El Matador

9155 W. Bluemound Rd. Milwaukee 

9:30a.m.

   Members are urged to Attend this Meeting.

End of an Era

 Model 9 Assembly in Milwaukee

 By Scott Godshaw

        December 20th is usually one of my favorite days considering it’s my birthday. Unfortunately, on this December 20th, it is a very sad day, as the Model 9 Horizontal Assembly line will be shut down and moved to Auburn.

        This basically marks the end of an era for Milwaukee Briggs and Stratton Motor Lines. This was the last normal engine we were building in Milwaukee. By normal, I mean a high volume engine with at least 50 to 60 assemblers and many supporting dayworkers also.

        As I wrote earlier this year when it was announced that the Model 9 Assembly Line was leaving, this is a very bitter pill to swallow. This motor line returned to Milwaukee in July of 1999. There were many quality issues down South regarding this engine. But once again our Milwaukee people stepped up to the plate and delivered a quality engine which our customers were ecstatic about.

        Yes, we are converting an engine made in Rolla to be used as an outboard motor for boats. Also, we hope the Micro Engine will soon go back into production. Neither engine, at this time, has an established market. This results in low volume.

        And we’ve been told by the Company that we will eventually launch the EX Series Engine down the road (possibly 2005 or later). Hopefully this will indeed come to fruition.