Following an important investment plan to expand and modernize its facilities in Brazil, General Motors announced that it has completed its overhaul of the São Caetano do Sul plant – the first factory that the company opened in the South American country. The update will allow the assembly of several next-generation models at the plant, starting with the all-new Chevrolet Tracker that is already in production.
During 2018 and 2019, the São Caetano do Sul plant underwent a complete renovation that covered the entire manufacturing process. Thanks to these changes, GM’s industrial complex located in the state of Sao Paulo now includes a high level of automation, allowing it to meet Industry 4.0 standards.
Among the innovations is new machinery that moves the cars along the assembly line and is able to adjust at any time, providing the most appropriate ergonomic condition to execute each operation. A new automated transport system was also put in place for engine, transmission, exhaust, axle and semi-axle components. In addition, more than 150 electronic tighteners guarantee the exact torque measurements that are monitored in real time.
“These are just some examples of new developments in the great transformation that the São Caetano do Sul plant has undergone. In addition to innovative technologies, we have new buildings and a stamping area. It was very interesting to completely renovate a facility like GM’s in São Caetano do Sul, because when we change equipment, we come across a lot of history,” said the plant’s Executive Director, Andreieli Pinto, in a press release.
The plant director revealed that during the modernization work, they met with teams that built some of most emblematic models in the history of GM in Brazil. “We discovered, for example, the foundations of the machines that produced the legendary [Chevrolet] Opala. It is an honor to be part of such an important moment for this factory that is a symbol of the region,” Pinto added.
The São Caetano do Sul plant will celebrate 90 years of operation next August, positioning itself as one of the company’s longest and most emblematic facilities worldwide. The renovation of São Caetano’s industrial complex was the last project of the investment cycle that GM executed between 2014 and 2019, which amounted to 13 billion Brazilian reais (approximately $3.05 billion USD at the current exchange rate).
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Comment
Defining the first factory can be problematic because the first assembly operation began elsewhere when the first Chevrolet left the line in September 1925. The following is an extract from “On a Global Mission: The Automobiles of General Motors International”
Early GM assembly was performed in leased premises on Avenida Presidente Wilson, but demand was sufficient to warrant the construction of a 470,000 sq. ft. assembly plant in São Caetano do Sul on the outskirts of São Paulo. The robust demand between the commencement of construction on September 24, 1927 and the inauguration on August 12, 1929, evaporated when the price of coffee collapsed along with Wall Street.