The city of Arlington is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the GM Arlington Assembly Plant in Texas with a new documentary titled “The Heartbeat of Arlington.” The film provides a comprehensive exploration of the plant’s history, its transformative impact on the Arlington community, and its role as a cornerstone of GM’s production capabilities in the U.S.
First opening in January of 1954, the GM Arlington plant was initially brought to the city through the efforts of local leaders, including Tom Vandergriff, who positioned Arlington as an ideal location for GM over larger neighboring cities like Fort Worth and Dallas. Vandergriff’s vision turned the plant into a catalyst for the city’s growth, spurring economic development and attracting other significant enterprises, such as Six Flags Over Texas and the Texas Rangers baseball team.
The documentary features interviews with long-time employees like Billy Ray Bell, who has worked at GM since 1962, providing a personal perspective on the plant’s legacy. It also delves into the evolution of manufacturing technology at the site, from the manual assembly lines of the 1950s to today’s state-of-the-art robotics and high-tech production processes. Over the decades, the plant has produced millions of vehicles, including current GM full-size SUVs like the Chevy Tahoe and Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade.
One particularly pivotal moment in the plant’s history occurred in 1991, during a downturn in sales for the Chevy Caprice. Faced with potential closure, local leaders and union representatives rallied to save the plant by securing a shift in production to more profitable trucks and SUVs. This effort not only safeguarded thousands of jobs but also reinforced Arlington’s position as a manufacturing powerhouse.
Throughout the documentary, viewers are given a look at the deep generational ties within the Arlington community, where many families have worked at the plant for multiple generations. As these workers can attest, the plant’s contributions extend beyond vehicles, with its economic and social influence enriching local businesses and charities as well.
Check out the full 45-minute documentary right here:
Comment
I wasn’t to happy about the hood and lift gate fits with uneven gaps. Also those unskilled metal finishers that left valleys on both sides of my 2020 Tahoe. Untrained stupid visiors that had no clue what they were looking at!