GM finishes $450 million transmission plant upgrade

Manufacturing News, Source : TheManufacturer.com
Published : 26 Oct 2005 20:42

General Motors announced the start of production of a new generation of six-speed automotive transmissions at its upgraded Willow Run facility in Ypsilanti, MI.

Production of the transmissions is the culmination of a $450 million, nearly three-year investment at the facility, as part of GM’s goal to produce up to three million six-speed transmissions annually. By 2010, GM will introduce 10 variants of six-speed transmissions, including front-drive models, which could enhance vehicle fuel economy by up to four percent when compared to other automatic transmissions. The 6L80 six-speed transmission will first appear in various 2006 and 2007 model GM cars and SUVs.

The investment establishes a new plant within a plant, resulting in the preservation of 600 jobs and precluding the building a brand-new facility. Approximately 20 percent of the 4.8-million-square-foot facility was gutted and refitted for six-speed production. Also, new production machinery and machines designed for worker safety were implemented.

GM is the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, and employs about 350,000 people worldwide.

Comments on this story

click here to add a comment