General Motors announces $1 billion investment in Flint facilities

Flint, MI—General Motors (GM) today announced a $1 billion investment in its Flint Assembly and Flint Metal Center facilities.

The funds will go toward preparing both plants for production of the company’s next-generation internal combustion engine (ICE) heavy-duty trucks, but for some GM workers, the investment is more personal.

“It’s life-changing,” said Tommy Garner, a team lead on the assembly line. “Just job security— knowing that they’re keeping a product here and, you know, keeping us working—it’s just great.”

Garner is a third generation employee at GM and still recalls sitting in the plant’s cafeteria with his first paycheck in-hand 23 years ago, after his grandfather helped him get a role at Flint Assembly.

Before that he said he was doing cement work and delivering pizzas on the side.

“I remember coming in here, and I was so excited because when I was younger, when you got called to GM, you hit the lottery, you know what I mean? It was a great opportunity,” he said, noting that his father, two nieces and son all work for GM as well.

“So, this is big,” Garner said. “Because… bringing in a big investment like that shows you that they’re gonna be here awhile. I should be able to finish my career [at Flint Assembly] for sure, hopefully my son, too.”

Later, at the announcement on the assembly plant’s floor on June 5, 2023, Gerald Johnson, GM’s executive vice president of global manufacturing and sustainability, outlined how the $1 billion would be spent across the two Flint facilities.

“We spend a fair amount of time talking about the electrification of our industry, and sometimes maybe not enough time talking about how important the internal combustion engine products are that we have, too,” he said. “We can do more than one thing as General Motors, in fact, we’re committed to do both.”

Johnson noted GM was investing $788 million for upgrades to Flint Assembly, which will include a body shop building expansion, general assembly conveyor expansion, and new tooling and equipment.

Another $233 million will go toward the Flint Metal Center, which fund new stamping dies to support production of next-generation ICE heavy-duty trucks, as well as press refurbishments and new equipment, according to a GM press release.

Officials confirmed that this new investment will not create new jobs at either Flint facility, but it will maintain the jobs of the over 5,500 current union workers across the two locations.

“Everybody wins in this situation,” Garner told Flint Beat. “You know, not just me and my family, but the community, the business owners and everything, because when that plant’s going good, all the local stores, restaurants, everything [follows]. It’s big for Flint.”

GM communications personnel said product details and timing related to the manufacturer’s future heavy duty trucks are not being released at present. However, during the press conference, Johnson noted the new investment “is intended to take the next generation of heavy duty trucks… into the 2030s and onward.”