General Motors has shipped the first batch of gigantic stamping equipment for the next generation of its full-size SUVs to its Arlington Stamping Plant in Texas this week. A total of four presses, pit equipment, two press beds weighing a total of 5 million pounds will make their way to the new stamping facility 550 miles from Port of Houston.
In January of 2012, General Motors announced it will invest $200 million in a new stamping facility in its Arlington plant. The investment is part of $531 million invested by GM in Arglington since 2009 while adding 180 new jobs to operate three complete press lines for external and internal sheet metal components. In addition, the plant added 1,000 new jobs to meet demand of current and next-generation SUVs including the Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade SUVs. The plant directly employs 3,500 people.
Due to the size of the equipment, the items were transported during daylight hours via a carefully-planned route approved by the Texas Department of Transportation — all in the name of safety. The route wound around Houston through several Texas communities north to Arlington, and residents in Port of Houston, Dayton, Cleveland, Conroe, Prairie View, Personville, Mexia, Joshua, Mansfield, and Arlington may have witnessed as GM’s addition to the renaissance of American manufacturing passed by their community.
Did you see the transport convoy? Let us know in the comments.
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Can’t wait to see the next gen SUVs. Does anyone know when they’re going to be unveiled?
GM has decided to not produce the SUV’s and release wagons instead due to demand.
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Where the presses built overseas? Was there nobody in this Country able to build the presses that make America’s finest pick ups?
The presses may very well have originated in the US but due to the size and weight they would perhaps have been better served moved by sea. Calm down…not everything has to be America against the World…sheesh…that crap is getting a little old now…
It’s actually amazing how cheap dies and molds can be made in China, shipped here, and still come out at a lower price.
It is also amazing that the $1 that was saved today is going to cost $10 tomorrow in repairs because Chinese dies and molds are inferior to US made dies and molds. Even when a US tool and die maker cuts corners to match the Chinese price you will end up with a better die or mold. I have to deal with this from time to time because customers like to save some money up front.
True that. Even the steel used, it might be the same kind of steel, but it sure as hell isn’t the same quality.
I’ve seen old die shoes plugged with threaded rod and reused to cut costs, and the guide pins and bushings cannibalized from old dies as well. Shops in country have to cut costs like that and still barely turn a profit in order to compete with overseas quotes.
I’ve seen where a complete injection molds will be made in China (or wherever) except for the cavity itself which will be made here. Seat belt components; from the buckle to the plastic lock and gearing, and parts for Gulfstream we big with this approach.
I’m glad I got out of that world, finsihed my undergrad and jumped ship to civil engineering.
Dies, if done overseas, most likely came from Korea.
In the Opel plant at Rüsselsheim, the presses themselves are German made, but the actual stamping tools for the Insignia and Regal (marked “Epsilon 3700”) are made by Betz Industries from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“Due to the size of the equipment, the items were transported during daylight hours via a carefully-planned route approved by the Texas Department of Transportation — all in the name of safety”
And this was just to get them by road from the port to the plant. I don’t know for sure where the equipment was manufactured, but can you imagine the logistics in shipping it long distances over highways? So that it was shipped by sea does not automatically mean it was built in China or overseas somewhere.
62vettee; Nice… VeranoHatch loves you…
Wonder why there’s no Buick SUV like its GMC, Chevy & Cadillac equivalents.
I’m guessing GMC covers the middle ground Buick would occupy?
@V8 Jon For all intents and purposes, GMC is Buick’s truck brand, with the two being sold together in more instances than not.
That’s true on a dealer level, but as far as products in the realm of design, vision, and signature cues go, that is false.
We don’t see extensive sound deadening and cool blue ambient interior lighting in GMC products. Just as the Enclave doesn’t exude ruggedness that even GMC smallest offering, the Terrain, gives off.
The Acadia and Enclave are the closest twin measurings offered between the two brands and both are following different design languages and purposes.
Yupp, @andrew is spot on. GMC and Buick don’t even begin to have the same brand values… the strategy with GMC seems to be a more bold, rugged (masculine?) image, while that of Buick is more refined and understated.
V8John; here in the states Buick and GMC share the same realestate in other words the dealer selling Buicks sells GMC. The used to sell Pontiacs too…
Oh thanks, so in a sense Buick’s range has more veichles just not all Badged as Buick (a sort of 50/50 partnership really)
Well, since they’re both brands of GM, it’s not really a partnership — but I see what you’re thinking. The two brands are seen as mostly separate among consumers, though.
Just out of interest really with Buick not selling one & the others doing so.
Jon, the main reason Buick and GMC are together is to keep the dealerships in business. Buick needs to sell trucks to keep the dealers profitable and GMC needs Buick to keep their dealers profitable. Sometimes cars sell and sometimes trucks sell and even sometimes they both sell.
Good deal for jobs here in US…Texas is doing well and bringing lots of people in from California lately
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