GM to invest $788.7 million in Spring Hill

General Motors is to invest $788.7 million for an “all-new, high-efficiency engine” programme, as well as projects to modernize various vehicle programmes at its Spring Hill Manufacturing Plant.

The Spring Hill facility is south of Nashville, Tennessee and is a former Saturn manufacturing unit. The new investment will create 792 and retain 16 jobs.  

At the same time, GM announced a $118 million investment at its Bay City Powertrain facility in Michigan, creating 29 and retaining 67 jobs.

Since 2010, GM has announced investments of over $2 billion for the Spring Hill operations. This includes a $148-million investment announced in February to repurpose flexible machining and assembly equipment to build V8 engines.

According to Cindy Estrada, vice president and director of the UAW General Motors Department, this investment helps secure a bright future for its workforce.

“UAW members at Spring Hill and Bay City have well-earned reputations for quality work and craftsmanship,” said Estrada. “Since the 2015 collective bargaining agreement, GM has invested more than $1.7 billion and UAW-GM members, their families and their communities will all benefit for years to come.”

                             Construction starts next month

Construction begins next month and will last several years.

“Spring Hill and its employees have earned a reputation for producing award-winning engines,” said UAW Local 1853 chairman Mike Herron. “GM recognizes this and we’re thankful they are investing further in the future of this facility and this community.”

Spring Hill Manufacturing opened in 1990 and produced Saturn vehicles until March 2007. It produced the Chevrolet Traverse from September 2008 until November 2009, and the Chevrolet Equinox from September 2012 until October 2015.

Currently, the site operations consist of a flexible vehicle assembly plant producing the Cadillac XT5 and the GMC Acadia, an engine plant making four-cylinder engines, a stamping plant, a body shop, a paint shop and two polymer injection molding operations. Engines and stampings are supplied to various GM assembly plants globally. The complex will begin building small block V8 engines by the end of this year.

Bay City Powertrain produces engine components used in Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles.  The plant opened in 1892 as National Cycle Manufacturing Company and produced a new bicycle to replace old high-wheeled types. 

In 1916, William Durant and Louis Chevrolet bought the plant and the plant was added to the General Motors portfolio in 1918.  With this investment, GM has invested or will invest $249.4 million in Bay City Powertrain since 2010.