[nfbmi-talk] gm to invest

[joe harcz Comcast]

GM to invest nearly $1.3B at 5 plants in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana Melissa Burden The Detroit News Comments . General Motors Co. said Monday it will invest

nearly $1.3 billion in five manufacturing sites in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana to produce engines and transmissions, improve vehicle quality and streamline

logistics. GM said the investments combined will create or retain about 1,000 jobs. The investments ? announced Monday for GM plants in Detroit, Flint,

Romulus, Toledo and Bedford, Ind. ? will support production of a new V6 engine and 10-speed transmission and an existing six-speed transmission. The investments

will fund assembly plant upgrades, including a paint shop and logistics center. Since 2009, GM has announced investments of more than $10.1 billion in

its U.S. operations ? $2.8 billion in 2013 alone ? creating or retaining more than 26,500 jobs. GM has received significant tax incentives to make new

investments at its facilities. ? GM is committed to a strong American manufacturing base and creating jobs in dozens of communities throughout the country.

Today? s announced plant upgrades continue the momentum of a resurgent auto industry,? said GM executive vice president and North America President Mark

Reuss. ? More importantly, these investments add up to higher quality and more fuel-efficient vehicles for our customers.? GM? s $1.3 billion investment

include $600 million at Flint Assembly for facility upgrades, including a new paint shop; $493.4 million at Romulus Powertrain Operations which includes

$343.4 million for equipment to produce a 10-speed automatic transmission and $150 million to increase capacity of the previously-announced V6; and $121

million at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly for a logistics optimization center. The investments also include $30.6 million in Toledo Transmission Operations

for increased capacity for an existing six-speed transmission and tooling for a new variant; and $29.2 million in Bedford Castings, which includes $22.6

million to produce components for the 10-speed and $6.6 million to produce components for the six-speed. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Gov. Rick

Snyder were to be in Flint for the announcement. GM chairman and CEO Dan Akerson, who is stepping down next month, is speaking in Washington on Monday

and is expected to highlight the investments. UAW Vice President Joe Ashton, who directs the union? s GM department, said, ? Today? s announcement is a

win for American workers. The UAW is proud to be a part of this successful collaboration with GM that has helped rebuild the nation? s economy, created

good paying, union jobs in communities across the country, and brought manufacturing that was moved overseas back to the U.S. This is further proof that

collective bargaining works.? GM is eager to emphasize its contribution to the U.S. economy and the thousands of people it employs in the United States.

Last week, the U.S. Treasury sold its final shares in the Detroit automaker as part of its $49.5 billion bailout, with taxpayers incurring a $10.5 billion

loss. Under the terms of the bailout, GM is not required to repay taxpayers for the losses. The Detroit automaker had 92,000 U.S. employees at the end

of 2008; today it has about 85,500. The company announced plans to close a dozen plants during its 2009 bankruptcy, including six in Michigan; it ultimately

reversed its decision to close its Orion Assembly plant in Oakland County.