GM Dedicates Truck Group Complex

04/19/96

United Press International reported that GM dedicated a new 650 acre facility to house the GM Truck Group headquarters and an engineering center. The new facility is located in Pontiac, Michigan and will employ 7,000 engineers, technicians and support staff, as well as 5,000 additional workers at the nearby Pontiac East Assembly Plant. The facility is the first complex of its size, scope and capabilities dedicated solely to developing trucks for the worldwide market built by any vehicle manufacturer. The facility will allow GM to consolidate all the critical elements of truck making in one square mile, from product development through assembly line production.

"Our goal is to be the leader in developing and manufacturing world- class trucks for the global market," said Jack Smith, GM chairman, CEO and president. "With our GM Truck Group operations on line, we expect to establish new standards for product innovation and the time it takes to bring a new truck to market."

Consolidating the GM Truck Group's operations at Centerpoint signifies more than 3,000 new permanent jobs for the city of Pontiac, including 2,500 GM positions, Vaughan said.

10 years ago trucks represented 30 percent of all vehicle sales, industry wide. Currently truck sales account for 42 percent of industry wide sales, and the figure continues to climb. GM's truck sales are at 40% of the corporation's total North American sales. GM expects that ratio to reach 50% in the near future.

GM's key overseas markets for trucks are in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim. In 1995 GM's overseas truck sales grew to 24% of their total overseas vehicle sales. GM sells its trucks overseas under the Chevrolet, GMC and Opel brands. Additionally GM globally co-produces and sells truck products with Isuzu.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel