By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
In preparation of a future vehicle program, General Motors announced a $200 million investment last week to its Orion Assembly and small car team partner Pontiac Metal Center.
Orion Assembly will receive $160 million for new tooling and equipment and Pontiac Metal Center will receive $40 million for new dies.
Pontiac Metal Center and Orion Assembly are part of the Small Car Team, producing parts to assemble the Chevrolet Sonic and the Buick Verano, some of the first subcompact cars assembled in America.
A $545 million investment in 2010 by GM launched both vehicles.
GM officials could not provide more details about new vehicle program, including when and if it will replace existing vehicle platforms.
The announcement caps the total investments in Orion Assembly and Pontiac Metal Center to $775 million since 2010, according to Chris Bonelli, plant communications manager.
Outside of Orion Township and Pontiac, GM also announced a $7.5 million investment to Flint Assembly to make its heating and cooling systems more energy efficient.
These investments all fall under the $300 million that CEO Mary Barra announced GM would spend on its Michigan facilities at the Detroit Economic Club on Oct. 28.
Only eight miles away, Pontiac Metal Center supplies the Orion Assembly with all of its metal stampings.?’Pontiac metal also produces vehicle parts for 20 other vehicle platforms, and ships them to every plant in North America except two.
GM has 55 manufacturing facilities in North America?42 in the U.S. and 16 in Michigan.
‘This major investment by GM underscores Michigan’s leadership in the automotive industry and reflects a broad-based confidence among job providers that our state is the place to do business,? Gov. Rick Snyder said in a press release. ‘We appreciate GM’s ongoing contributions to Michigan and will continue our work to create an environment that keeps the economy driving forward.?
Although no new jobs will be created by the investment at Orion Assembly, nor will it provide the 160 employees recently laid off an opportunity to come back.
United Auto Workers Vice President Cindy Estrada said union members will continue to work as hard as ever.
‘I’m confident that our members represented by UAW Locals 5960 and 653 will bring the same hard work and quality as they always do to the new vehicle program,? she said. ‘UAW members are proud to be an integral part of an industry turnaround that makes investments such as this possible and an opportunity to show the success we can achieve when we work together.?