As part of an ambitious future growth strategy for its South Korean operations, General Motors is accelerating the transformation of the Changwon plant to build next-generation global vehicles. The automaker’s South Korean subsidiary has just announced the progress of the investment plan it is implementing in the Changwon complex, where next year it will begin manufacturing an all-new Chevrolet crossover.
The Changwon plant is undergoing a major transformation that will make it one of GM’s most modern factories with world-class press, body and general assembly shops. The remodeling plan, which also included the new paint shop inaugurated in March 2021, is advancing at a faster pace and has substantially improved the plant’s capabilities to manufacture upcoming crossovers for the local and global market.
“GM Korea has been diligently fulfilling the plan we announced to stakeholders in 2018,” said GM Korea President and CEO, Kaher Kazem, in an official statement. “The next-generation crossovers that the Changwon plant will produce will be positioned alongside the globally successful Chevrolet Trailblazer as core models driving revenue and competitiveness of GM Korea,” he added.
The Changwon plant recently completed a four-month comprehensive refurbishment process that GM Korea began in mid-September and has turned it into a state-of-the-art factory by adopting the company’s latest global manufacturing technologies. In fact, the upgrades have increased the Changwon complex’s manufacturing capacity to 60 units per hour, making it highly productive.
Enhancements include a sophisticated new press shop with two 5,250-ton tandem presses capable of producing parts for vehicles of various sizes, a redesigned body shop that is now more flexible and automated, as well as a general assembly plant equipped with new equipment and technologies that make every process on the production line as ergonomic as possible.
As such, the Changwon plant’s transformation process is proceeding apace and it is set to enter the final phase before starting manufacturing next-generation products from 2023, potentially including the future Chevrolet crossover coupe that GM Authority exclusively revealed. As of today, GM’s second plant in South Korea only builds the small Chevy Spark, whose production is scheduled to end on August 31st.
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Comments
I believe the Spark and Trax..
well… more Onix … to export … since the Mexico plant shut down and … Brasil is on hold … it seems, but impressive factory
I assume “global” excludes North America.
No, Encore and its GX variant come here as do Trax and Trailblazer. South Korea has such a skilled population and, like Mexico, so many free trade agreements.
GM needs to get EVs into Europe especially with the Russian energy crisis. Barra seems to have deemed Europe too mature but they are early EV adapters and, if Ultium is really good, the cars will sell. South Korea is a great spot for this.
Anyway, GM relies too much on China and, if it takes Taiwan, conditions will be near identical to Russia meaning GM looses half its output. Korea into EU offsets this
The Mexico plant is still running unless they ran out of parts.
Wow, the factory is impressive. Hope Barra don’t shut it down.
give it a couple of years. :/
GM speak for global means LHD only sadly.