Fort Wayne construction to continue
award-winning pickup manufacturing
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – General Motors is investing $1.2
billion in its full-size pickup truck plant for upgrades and technology that
will improve the plant’s competitiveness in assembling high-quality light- and
heavy-duty models.
Construction
of the new pre-treat, electro-coat paint operation and sealing facility,
expanded body shop, expanded and new material sequencing centers, and upgraded
general assembly area is expected to begin in June and take several years to
complete. Full-size truck production schedules will be unaffected by the
construction.
“This
investment is more evidence that the customer is at the center of every
decision we make,” said Cathy Clegg, GM North America Manufacturing vice president.
“Truck customers demand top quality. The upgrades at Fort Wayne Assembly will
enable our team to continue delivering for them for years to come.”
The investment includes many technological
and environmental upgrades:
·
New pre-treatment facility featuring thin-film paint
pretreatment
·
E-coat paint customized to each vehicle style,
resulting in superior coverage and curability
·
GM-patented radiant tube ovens for exceptional
paint finish and lower energy use
·
New equipment that accommodates the
many variations of the truck cab and box being placed on the chassis
·
New skillet conveyance systems for instrument
panel assembly intended to improve worker ergonomics, leading to better product
quality.
“These new
technologies and equipment will help fulfill the mission of the men and women
of Fort Wayne Assembly and UAW Local 2209 to build the best full-size trucks
available,” said UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada. “The investment improves the
plant’s competitiveness so we can continue contributing to the community as
well.”
Said Indiana Gov. Mike Pence: “Around
the world, Indiana is known as a proven leader in advanced manufacturing. Powered
by a pro-growth business environment and a highly-skilled workforce, GM is
leveraging Indiana’s strengths to help it remain competitive across the globe.
Today’s announcement marks a significant promise to the Hoosier State and
ensures GM’s presence in Indiana and its support of Hoosier jobs long into the
future, reaffirming that Indiana is a state that works for business.”
Fort Wayne
Assembly began building light-duty trucks in 1986. Today, it is a three-shift
operation with approximately 3,800 employees who build light- and heavy-duty
regular and double cab full-size trucks.
The investments in Fort Wayne are part of the
$5.4 billion that GM said April 30 it would invest in U.S. facilities over the
next three years.
General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM,
TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company
has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive
markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under
the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall
and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries,
including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information
services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.
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