General Motors announced earlier in the day that it will invest $200 million at the Lordstown plant to update it and an additional $20 million at the stamping facility in Parma. The investment will secure jobs for 4,150 hourly workers at Lordstown and an additional 500 hourly workers in Parma.
Local 1112 President Glenn Johnson said the investment shows GM's commitment to Lordstown and its workers, as well as the Valley as a whole.
"We did what we said we would do: Secure a future for GM and its employees for a long time," Johnson said. "To have job security for the foreseeable future is unfathomable. To know you're going to come to work every single day and be able to reinvest in that community is just a great thing for all of us."
He said a startup date for the new Cruze model has not officially been announced, but he expects it to be in late 2014 or early 2015. A diesel version of the Cruze will hit showrooms in the second quarter of 2013, Johnson said.
The current Chevy Cruze on the market has only been out for a couple of years. Johnson said this shows how competitive the market is.
"And they want cutting edge and if we stand still, the competitors of the world aren't and we will be behind the eight ball so I am impressed with the aggressiveness GM has put on the small car market," Johnson said.
Dave Green, president of UAW Local 1714, said the investment by GM will ensure there is a product coming out of Lordstown until at least 2020.
Johnson thanked the union members, saying without them and their ability to put together a quality product, Thursday's announcement would not have been possible.
"It would not be possible to build the world-class Chevy Cruze without our workers and we accept the challenge to build a new one," Johnson said.
He also said credit must be given to President Barack Obama and his administration for approving a loan for GM that enabled the company to emerge from bankruptcy stronger than it was before.
"Imagine the economic catastrophe that would have resulted from the collapse of the Big 3 automakers. President Obama bet on the American worker and this is what a well-placed bet looks like," Johnson said.
Before the announcement was made about the new model coming to Lordstown, Johnson talked about the diesel version of the compact car.
"We're real excited about that. It should give buyers an option as far as fuel economy and preference. It will be a green, very clean-burning diesel and will give mileage in the upper 40s," Johnson said.
The Detroit automaker, which has built the Cruze in Lordstown since its introduction, had planned production for the current Cruze through model year 2014.
In 2011, the Cruze was GM's best-selling car and the second best-selling compact car in the U.S. But, recent sales have shown declines as Japanese automakers have recovered.
The Cruze launched in September 2010. Lordstown's three-shift production schedule has gone mostly uninterrupted since that time.
The Lordstown complex, with support from the metal center in Parma, has built more than 500,000 of Chevrolet's top-selling compact passenger sedan since production began in September 2010. More than 1.6 million Cruzes have been built globally since 2009, according to a press release from GM.
"Thanks to northeast Ohio's supportive business climate, we're able to build on a great foundation and steer the Chevrolet Cruze into the next generation," GM Manufacturing Manager Arvin Jones said in the release. "A special thanks goes to Governor John Kasich and his team at Jobs Ohio for their strong leadership and advocacy for GM and our employees."
GM has invested more than $7.3 billion in its U.S. facilities since 2009.Â
Production timing of the next-generation Cruze will be announced later. But Jones said the new model will offer new exterior and interior styling, improved fuel economy and an improved interior compartment and more storage space.
"Well, it's going to be a whole new car. This isn't just a fender or hood. This is going to be from the ground up. Very exciting global platform," Green said.
Preliminary work to clear space in the body shop at Lordstown has begun.
No comments:
Post a Comment