GM will sink $150 million in truck production at Flint Assembly
General Motors will invest $150 million in equipment at its Flint truck plant to rev up production of its new Chevy Silverado and other vehicles.
GM President Mark Reuss made the announcement at a news conference at Flint Assembly on Wednesday, June 12, the automaker’s second major expansion of its full-size pickup production capacity this year, allowing it to increase production of the new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups, which begin shipping to dealers this week.
This news follows GM’s announcement last month that it would expand light-duty, full-size pickup production capacity in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
“We are increasing production because we have the best line of trucks in the world built by the best workforce in the world, and our customers can’t get enough of them,” Reuss said. “This plant right here in Flint will build about 40,000 more heavy-duty Silverados and SIerras annually, including more crew cabs and diesel models.”
GM has invested more than $1.6 billion in the Flint Assembly since 2013, allowing for the increase in production announced Wednesday.
“The effect of all that investment and all those improvements to the facility and the new generation of trucks means that we can considerably boost our heavy-duty production as a result,” Reuss said.
Neither Reuss nor Plant Manager Michael Perez provided details about the announced spending except to say it includes investments in conveyor systems and tooling, and will be completed in the first half of 2020.
The announcement came against a backdrop of truck bodies moving down an assembly line with workers and local leaders, including Flint Mayor Karen Weaver, looking on.
“This is an exciting morning …. what a big freaking deal this is for the city of Flint, UAW Local 598 and to all the employees … ,” Weaver said. The investment supports “meaningful jobs where people can take care of their families.”
Flint Assembly is the last vehicle assembly plant in the city, and earlier this year, GM announced it would bring 1,000 jobs to the plant to help build new heavy-duty pickup trucks. The company also said it would give priority in hiring to GM workers who had been laid off elsewhere and said full-time employment at the truck plant now tops 5,000.
The new investment supports that expanded workforce, officials said.
Chevy has been touting its 2020 Silverado HD, which is being built here, as its “strongest, most capable ever” with a maximum towing capacity of 35,500 pounds. It was the third brand-new Silverado truck put out by the automaker in 18 months when it was rolled out for first viewing in February.
Flint Assembly was built in 1947. It’s complex off Van Slyke Road covers 159 acres. It is located adjacent to Flint Engine Operations and less than two miles from the Flint Metal Center, the last cluster of auto plants in the city.
Wednesday’s announcement continues a pattern of investment by GM at the truck plant.
The company announced it was investing $877 million into a new body shop for Flint Assembly in 2015 and spent $600 million on other upgrades, including a new paint shop, in 2013.
Posted By: MLIVE on June 12, 2019. For more information, please click here to read the source article.
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