General Motors is investing $500 million into its assembly plant in Arlington.
The investment prepares the plant for production of future SUVS, said John Urbanic, Arlington GM plant executive director.
“It’s more of (an) equipment upgrade, in order for us to be facilitated to build the next version of Chevy Tahoe, Yukon, Suburban, Escalade,” Urbanic said.
The Arlington assembly plant produces the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL and the Cadillac Escalade. The plant exports cars to more than 30 countries and opened in 1954.
The company did not announce what the next line of vehicles would be.
GM has invested $31 billion in parts distribution and manufacturing plants across the country since 2013. That includes a $2 billion investment into the Arlington plant since 2013 to build the current models.
For the more than 5,000 employees at the plant, the investment means job security, said Kenny Hines, chair of the Arlington assembly United Auto Workers 276 shop.
“It’s a result of the hard work done by our members out there every day,” Hines said. “This is great news for our facility and for our future.”
The GM assembly plant plays a big part in Arlington’s economy, said Michael Jacobson, president and CEO of the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce.They employ thousands and also give back to the community, he said. GM is a major donor for the future Medal of Honor Museum opening in Arlington’s Choctaw Stadium next year.
“They’re major taxpayers in the community,” Jacobson said. “So they help drive our economy and have a huge impact.”
Arlington plant executives announced in April that it broke a 70-year record in monthly production as the supply chain shortages for parts eases. In its first quarterly report for the year, GM reported it made $156.7 billion last year, up 23% from the same time in 2022.
Gerald Johnson, executive vice president of global manufacturing at GM, thanked the employees at the assembly plant for working through the pandemic and supply chain shortages.
“We made our way through chip supply shortages,” Johnson said. “We are making our way through continued supply shortages that I know you guys contend with everyday, and I appreciate your adaptability.”
Seth Bodine is a business and economic development reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at seth.bodine@fortworthreport.org and follow on Twitter at @sbodine120.
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