| The past years have not been good to the | | | | the upgrading of the facility. Aside from the initial |
| Detroit, Michigan-based General Motors. The | | | | $100 million investment, General Motors has also |
| company has faced the increasing popularity of | | | | earmarked a sum of $41 million for other |
| Asian-branded vehicles such as Toyota and Honda. | | | | operations that will support the plant itself. |
| Like its peers Ford and Chrysler, General Motors | | | | The renovation and expansion of the existing |
| has taken steps to turn the company back to | | | | engine plant will commence later this year. It is |
| profitability. General Motors has already closed | | | | expected to be completed by the fourth quarter |
| down assembly facilities across the United States | | | | of 2009 when the production of the Duramax |
| to reduce the number of excess vehicles in their | | | | diesel engines will start. According to the car |
| showrooms. | | | | manufacturer, the plant in New York will provide |
| Recently though, the company announced that | | | | 150 hourly jobs. |
| they have earmarked a large sum of money for | | | | "GM is transforming its product portfolio to reduce |
| the expansion of an engine assembly facility in | | | | fuel consumption and emissions, and the 4.5-liter |
| Tonawanda, New York. General Motors announced | | | | V-8 diesel is an integral part of that |
| that they will spend $100 million in the expansion | | | | transformation, as well as a component of GM's |
| and upgrading of the engine plant in New York. | | | | strategy to diversify vehicle energy sources," |
| According to the company, the engine assembly | | | | says John Buttermore, General Motors' Powertrain |
| facility will be tasked to build fuel-efficient and | | | | vice president of global manufacturing. "This will be |
| environment friendly diesel engines. | | | | one of the most efficient and technically-advanced |
| The $100 million budget will go into retooling the | | | | diesel engines, providing a 25 percent |
| plant for it to produce 4.5-liter V8 Duramax diesel | | | | improvement in fuel efficiency and 13 percent |
| engines. The said diesel engines will be used on | | | | reduction in CO2 emissions over gasoline engines |
| General Motors' pickups like the Chevrolet | | | | in this segment - and it does all that while still |
| Silverado and the GMC Sierra. The diesel engine | | | | providing the performance attributes required by |
| will also be the powerplant of future Hummer H2s. | | | | customers in the areas of towing and hauling |
| According to General Motors, the Duramax engine | | | | loads." |
| will be 25 percent more efficient than a gasoline | | | | The Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and the |
| engine. Not only that, the diesel engine will produce | | | | Hummer H2 are expected to still use General |
| 13 percent less carbon dioxide emissions as | | | | Motors' outsourcing strategy for other |
| compared to existing gasoline engines. The | | | | components such as cargo liners, seatbelt |
| Duramax diesel engine will also sport filtration | | | | assemblies, and the like. |
| technologies which will reduce particulate and | | | | The expansion of the engine plant will surely be |
| nitrous oxide emissions by as much as 90 percent | | | | appreciated by the United Auto Workers (UAW). |
| when compared to current generation diesel | | | | "GM's investment in the Tonawanda plant, totaling |
| engines. | | | | $1.6 billion in the last 10 years, is a significant vote |
| Part of the $100 million will also be used to | | | | of confidence in our employees and UAW Local |
| renovate a complex covering 200,000 square | | | | 774, who have demonstrated their commitment |
| feet in New York. Aside from retooling the | | | | and dedication to benchmark performance that is |
| existing engine assembly facility, new machines will | | | | contributing to the company's turnaround," says |
| also be procured by General Motors as part of | | | | Buttermore. |