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Local GM Powertrain plant should be festooned with ribbons after latest expansion announcement.

Laid Off GM Workers to Get First Priority in $20 Million Bay City Expansion

Total 2010 Investment Pushes Added Jobs to 113, Officials Say

August 22, 2010       Leave a Comment
By: Dave Rogers

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As the new General Motors ramps up for an initial public offering (IPO) of stock, confidence in the old brand is being revived by sales and production increases.

The local General Motors Powertrain plant, thought near to closing several years ago, now has new life in the form of more than 100 jobs.

And, those jobs connect the local plant with the most advanced engine in the industry.

The local committee headed by the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Mike Seward and and the City of Bay City under leadership of Mayor Charles Brunner was cheering today at the news.

During the darkest days of the recent economic recession the committee went to bat, and to Washington, to tout the benefits of retaining and expanding the historic local plant, one of the first acquired in 1916 by GM founder William Durant.

GM has announced the Bay City plant will fill its manpower requirements with UAW members currently on layoff in accordance with the provisions of the UAW-GM National Agreement.

GM announced the planned $20 million investment in its Bay City Powertrain operations will produce camshafts for the next generation Ecotec engine, bringing new investment at the plant to $62.5 million this year.

"This specific investment results in 15 jobs at the plant, but the cumulative employment impact of these three investments is 113 people," said GM Manufacturing Manager Gerald Johnson.

With the new jobs, the local plant will employ a total of 327, including 274 production workers and 53 salaried personnel. At its peak, employment here was more than 4,500.

Recent investments in the local plant include:

  • 2010, awarded $32 million investment for the Generation V V8 engine, connecting rod, camshaft and piston pins;

  • 2010, awarded $10.5 million investment for the next generation Ecotec engine connecting rod;

  • 2009, awarded $37 million investment into new business - connecting rods and camshaft for what is called "Family Zero" engines, which will go into the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and 2011 Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle; and

  • 2008, replacing belt grinders, $15 million dollar investment.

    The local plant in a year produces more than 20.2 million piston pins, connecting rods, pinion pins and valves, camshafts, oil pumps, channel plates, case extensions, accumulators and balance shafts.

    The Ecotec is GM's highest volume, most-advanced four-cylinder engine program and powers popular products like the Chevrolet Malibu and Equinox, the Buick LaCrosse and new Regal, and the GMC Terrain.

    The Ecotec engine family is known for its reliability, fuel efficiency and performance. GM Ecotec engines have been on the forefront of delivering leading-edge technology including direct injection, variable valve timing and turbocharging. Direct fuel injection, a hallmark of many Ecotec engines since 2007, is just now becoming mainstream technology in the industry.

    "The men and women of UAW Local 362 focus on quality each and every day, and our customers see that focus when they start up their GM vehicle," said UAW Local 362 shop chairperson Todd McDaniel.

    About General Motors: General Motors, one of the world's largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 208,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 157 countries.

    GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 31 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Daewoo, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's largest national market is China, followed by the United States, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Italy.

    GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. General Motors acquired operations from General Motors Corp. on July 10, 2009, and references to prior periods in this and other press materials refer to operations of the old General Motors Corp. More information on the new General Motors can be found at www.gm.com. ###

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    Dave Rogers

    Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read,
    respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City.
    (Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com)

    More from Dave Rogers

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