GM Indiana Truck Plant May Get $35 Million Investment

Ft. Wayne Indiana May 17, 2004 GM spokesman Dan Flores told the Journal Gazette of Ft. Wayne, Ind., that General Motors Corp. might invest $35 million to upgrade an Allen County, Ind., plant set to become the sole manufacturer of its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.

The plant, which employs about 3,000 people, will become the exclusive maker of new versions of the Silverado and Sierra models next year.

for a Saturday report that the potential upgrades would help prepare the plant to produce new versions of the pickup trucks, which he said would have improved maneuverability.

Offering customers new versions of existing models is important in the increasingly competitive full-size pickup truck market, Flores said.

He said that GM seeks a tax abatement to help with the proposed investment. GM could save more than $1 million in taxes over 10 years, said Scott Harrold, senior economic development specialist with the Allen County Department of Planning Services.