Pallets in Orion Township
Orion Township hosts General Motors' Orion Assembly plant off I-75.
What is here
- Plant
- GM Orion Assembly
- Corridor
- I-75
- ZIPs
- 48348, 48359, 48360, 48361, 48362
Orion is at the northern edge of the metro, and its plant is the main reason trucks come here. An assembly plant takes parts from dozens of suppliers, mostly on a just-in-time schedule, and returns empties by the same path.
Where the pallets are
At the plant gate, little. The pallets that can be sold are at the supplier and logistics sites that feed it, and in the yards that hold returnables. Orion's rural roads mean less industrial density than Auburn Hills, so the pickup is a longer one. A buyer does well to pair it with a stop in Auburn Hills or Pontiac.
What to ask
- Whether your site is a supplier to the plant, since that tells a buyer the likely size.
- How many pallets the yard holds when full.
- Whether a standing weekly pickup is possible; see dock programs.
Questions from the plant edge
We are far from the core. Will anyone come?
Distance raises the bar. A bigger count or a standing schedule makes the trip worthwhile.
Are plant returns on loan?
Some pallets circulate on loan between a plant and its suppliers. Ask before listing them.
Is rural storage a problem?
Only if the pallets are open to weather. Cover the stack or move it under a roof.
North of the supplier belt
Orion lies north of the dense supplier belt of Auburn Hills and Troy. That makes it a place where pallets are moved less often, so stacks tend to be bigger and older when a call is finally made.
What the plant means for the roads
GM's Orion Assembly plant sits off I-75, and the township's roads carry the suppliers who feed it. Deliveries are timed to the line, so trucks arrive on schedules measured in minutes. A pickup truck that drifts into that pattern causes trouble, which is why a pickup window outside shift changes is important here.
The supplier docks nearest the plant are small, and their empties go back and forth on a regular timetable. The better sources are the logistics firms that consolidate parts before they reach the line, because they handle larger counts in one place. Ask yours whether they hold pallets in a yard or on a dock, and whether they are owned or borrowed.
Rural edges
Parts of the township are farmland and lakeside homes, so side roads can be narrow and weight-limited in spring. A driver should know before leaving the freeway.
Seasonal access
Gravel lanes soften in spring. Tell a driver whether the lot is paved and whether a loaded trailer can turn without leaving the surface.
Orion Assembly
General Motors' Orion Assembly plant is in the township, which covers 35.9 square miles.