The Economy

Cash Flowing Into GM Assembly Plant in Flint, Mich.

July 18, 2011

Plant will build next-generation full-size pickups, which are gaining in market share for GM.

General Motors said it will pump $328 million into its Flint, Mich., Assembly Plant to build next-generation Chevrolet and GMC full-size pickups.

The investment will create or retain 150 jobs, GM said.

The plant's 2,047 employees build the heavy-duty versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.

Flint Assembly employee Carl Ross inspects a Chevrolet Silverado at the end of the assembly line. (Photo by John F. Martin for Chevrolet)
Through May, the Silverado and Sierra had picked up an additional 2.4 percentage points of market share, according to GM, boosting GM's share of the heavy-duty market to 36%.

GM's retail share of the full-size pickup market has grown to 40.4% through May compared with 37.7% in the first five months of 2010, according to GM.

"Truck sales play an important role in the success of General Motors," said Joe Ashton, UAW-GM vice president. "We are confident that the next-generation of trucks will continue to be an important source of revenue for the company and jobs for our members."

The investment announced Monday is part of $2 billion GM is spending that will create or retain about 4,000 jobs in 17 facilities in eight states over the next 18 months, according to the automaker.

Other recent GM investments in the Wolverine State include the Flint Engine, Bay City Powertrain, Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly , Lansing Grand River Assembly, Saginaw Powertrain and GM Components Holdings (Wyoming, Mich.) facilities, along with a $130 million Data Center on the automaker's Warren, Mich. Technical Center campus.

About the Author

Josh Cable | Former Senior Editor

Former Senior Editor Josh Cable covered innovation issues -- including trends and best practices in R&D, process improvement and product development. He also reported on the best practices of the most successful companies and executives in the world of transportation manufacturing, which encompasses the aerospace, automotive, rail and shipbuilding sectors.

Josh also led the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame, IW’s annual tribute to the most influential executives and thought leaders in U.S. manufacturing history.

Before joining IndustryWeek, Josh was the editor-in-chief of Penton Media’s Government Product News and Government Procurement. He also was an award-winning beat reporter for several small newspapers in Northeast Ohio.

Josh received his BFA in creative writing from Bowling Green University, and continued his professional development through course-work at Ohio University and Cuyahoga Community College.

A lifelong resident of the Buckeye State, Josh currently lives in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. When the weather cooperates, you’ll find him riding his bike to work, exercising his green thumb in the backyard or playing ultimate Frisbee.