GM Set To Invest $491 Million Into EV Upgrades For Indiana Plant

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General Motors announced plans to invest $491 million in its metal stamping operation in Marion, Indiana, in a bid to to prepare the plant to manufacture more of the stamped steel an aluminum parts used in electric vehicles. The money will be used to build out two new press lines, upgrade existing equipment, and build a 6,000-square-foot addition to the factory.

“While this investment prepares the facility for our all-electric future, it’s really an investment in our talented Marion team and will keep the plant working for many years to come,” said Gerald Johnson, GM executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability. “This investment is another example of the company bringing everyone along and investing in the people who make manufacturing a competitive advantage for GM.”

Jobs, & Good Jobs

The nearly half-a-billion dollar spend is not just further evidence that GM is Serious about its electric future, it could also be read as a win for the united auto workers’ union (UAW). “GM is making this investment because of the hard work and dedication of our UAW Local 977 members in Marion,” said Ray Curry, UAW president and director of the GM department. “The new stamping presses, upgrades and renovations associated with the investment will create job security for our members and help them care for their families and support their local community for years to come.”

The Marion plant currently employs more than 750 people, and employment is expected to remain stable with the addition of this new work in the plant. And– sure, it’s disappointing that GM’s investment here doesn’t include more union jobs for the state of Indiana, it does somewhat buck the trend of automakers opening shop in the deep red south to avoid paying out union wages and benefits.

Good for the 977, then.

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Source | Images: GM, via Detroit Free Press.