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General Motors Alvear Plant

The GM Alvear plant, otherwise known as the GM Rosario Plant or Complejo de General Motors en Alvear, Rosario (in Spanish), is located in the city of Alvear, in the province of Santa Fe of Argentina. It currently produces the second-generation Chevrolet Cruze and its engine. The facility is sometimes referred to as the Rosario plant due to its proximity to the large port city of Rosario, even though the plant is located about 25 km south in the smaller town of Alvear.

  • Year opened: 1997
  • Facility size: TBD
  • Location:
    Ruta 9 km
    279, C1106ACV
    Alvear, Santa Fe, Argentina
  • Telephone: +54 341 498-1400
  • Employee information:
    • Hourly: TBD
    • Salaried: TBD
    • Total: TBD
  • Facilities:
    • Stamping
    • Vehicle assembly
    • Powertrain assembly
  • Production shifts: TBD

Overview

After entering Argentina in 1922, General Motors withdrew from the market in 1978. After that time, independent businesses such as Sevel Argentina S.A. and CIADEA S.A. were importing or producing Chevrolet vehicles, mostly trucks, into the country. That all changed in 1997, when General Motors returned to the country with an official presence, establishing a new Argentine headquarters and building a new plant in Alvear, near the city of Rosario, Santa Fe.

The GM Alvear plant represented a $300 million investment and the plant produced various affordable Chevrolet vehicles for Argentina and other South American markets. One of the more notable vehicles to be produced at the facility was the Chevrolet Agile. Based on the G-Pix Concept, the model was unique in that it was completely developed by the GM Mercosur department, which at the time comprised GM’s biggest South American markets of Argentina and Brazil. Developed at the GM Brazil vehicle development center in São Paulo, the Agile replaced the Corsa II, otherwise known as the Corsa Classic, and went into production in 2008. It was the first car in a series of vehicles that later became know as “Project Viva” or “Proyecto Viva”.

The GM Argentina plant in Alvear underwent a comprehensive retooling in 2016 to produce the second-generation Chevrolet Cruze starting in 2016. In addition to retooling the production line, the plant also received a new powertrain facility to produce the engine for the Cruze.

Products

Present:

  • Second-generation Chevrolet Cruze (2016-present) for local and export markets, including:
    • Chevrolet Cruze 4-door sedan
    • Chevrolet Cruze 5-door hatchback
  • 1.4L I4 LE2 engine for Chevrolet Cruze
  • Second-generation Chevrolet Tracker (2022-present) for local and export markets

Past:

  • Chevrolet Corsa and rebadges:
    • Chevrolet Corsa (1997-2001; first-generation based on Opel Corsa B)
    • Chevrolet Corsa II or Chevrolet Corsa Classic (2002-2010)
    • Rebadged Chevrolet Corsa Classic called Chevrolet Classic (2010-2015; first-gen Chevrolet Corsa)
  • Chevrolet Silverado (1997)
  • Chevrolet Grand Blazer (1999; based on Chevrolet Suburban)
  • Chevrolet Grand Vitara (2000-2002)
  • Suzuki Grand Vitara (2000-2005)
  • Chevrolet Agile (2009-2015)

Investments

  • 1996-1997: $300 million to build the plant and bring it online
  • 2014-2016: $740 million to produce second-generation Chevrolet Cruze, starting in 2016
  • 2017-2019: $500 million ($300 million from GM and $200 million from suppliers) to produce a new model in 2020

Milestones

  • July 10, 2006: GM Alvear plant produces 350,000th vehicle, a Corsa Classic 3-door
  • October 2007: GM Alvear plant produces 500,000th vehicle, a Corsa Class 4-door
  • March 30, 2009: GM Alvear plant produces 650,000th vehicle – Corsa Classic wagon
  • January 31, 2017: GM Alvear plant produces 50,000th 1.4L Turbo LE2 engine for second-generation Chevrolet Cruze

News

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