GM to Invest $877 Million to Upgrade Flint, Mich., Truck Factory - Wall Street Journal
The auto maker will spend $877 million to upgrade a truck factory in Flint, Mich. , amid solid demand for its Chevrolet and GMC full-size pickups. Located about an hour’s drive north of Detroit, Flint is the location of GM’s 1908 founding that has never fully recovered after being hard hit when several plants were closed in the 1980s. The investment caps GM’s $5. 4 billion investment plan... A workforce of 2,800 in Flint build the heavier duty versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, profitable models that have fared well amid economic growth and low gasoline prices. GM pickup sales increased 15% over the first seven months of 2015. More than $1 billion has been invested in the 68-year-old Flint factory since GM emerged from bankruptcy in 2009. The new investment is aimed at building a new body shop and making... —making healthy profits in North America, UAW officials have said they plan to push for increased pay and benefits for members in the current talks, even as auto executives say maintaining a low fixed cost base is essential. GM’s biggest investment under the $5. 4 billion plan is a $1. 4 billion update for an Arlington, Texas, factory that builds the company’s largest and most expensive SUVs, the Chevrolet Suburban and Cadillac Escalade. Write to Christina Rogers at christina. Source: www.wsj.com
