Automaker Plans to Invest $46 For Manufacturing Upgrades
By Terry Troy
While all automakers have been taking it on the chin of late, General Motors remains firmly committed to Ohio manufacturing, recently announcing an injection of $46 million to its Parma metal stramping operation. Parma is a suburb of Cleveland.
The investment will be used for equipment upgrades and to prepare the facility to support future product programs. Parma produces sheet metal stampings and assemblies for multiple GM product programs. The renovation work will begin immediately at the facility.
“Our Parma operation is a longtime leader in metal stamping capabilities and this investment reflects our confidence in the employees at Parma,” said Phil Kienle, GM vice president of North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations. “This investment will help the Parma team continue producing high quality, sheet metal stampings for a variety of future GM products.”
The investment will also help provide job security for the Parma workforce.
The Parma plant opened in 1948 and has been a longtime leader in metal stamping capabilities. The Parma Metal Center processes over 800 tons of steel per day and services or supports the majority of General Motors North America produced vehicles. Parma has over 750 total dies and is capable of producing up to 100 million parts per year. The manufacturing processes include small, medium and large transfer press lines, high speed progressive presses and a world class cut-to-length shear, as well as GM North America’s largest stand-alone, multi-cell, resistance and laser welding metal assembly operations.
Parma employs approximately 1,000 employees. Hourly employees are represented by UAW Local 1005.
In July, GM temporarily halted most U.S. and Mexican production of it profitable full-sized pickup trucks due to the ongoing global shortage of semiconductor chips. The production cuts impacted plants in Michigan, Indiana and Mexico that produce the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC pickups.
Prior to the temporary stoppage, GM had avoided halting production through aggressive supply chain tactics that included building some vehicles without needed chips, by eliminating some features that require chips such as wireless phone chargers and the engine idle-stop function.
Just this week, GM announced that it was removing optional heated seats from several 2022 models due to the semiconductor chip shortage. Vehicles impacted include: Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet Blazer, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Canyon, GMC Terrain and GMC Sierra. GM said the Sierra and Acadia Denali models will still offer heated seats.
