General Motors announced today plans to invest nearly $500 million toward producing the next generation Ecotec engines, which will result in creating nearly 550 jobs at three U.S. plants. GM’s Bay City powertrain plant will get a $10.5-million investment and create 15 jobs for the plant. The plant already employs 312 workers, according to GM’s Web site.
The bulk of the $494 million investment being announced today will occur at GM’s Tonawanda, N.Y., engine plant to add capacity for the next generation Ecotec engine. It will bring about 470 jobs, GM said.
GM will invest $425 million at the New York plant.
GM’s Defiance, Ohio, powertrain plant will get a $59 million investment to support precision sand cast block at a capacity of 188,000. It will create 80 jobs.
“GM is transforming its product portfolio to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and the next generation Ecotec engine is an integral part of that transformation,” Denise Johnson, GM vice president of labor relations, said in a statement. “The investment in state-of-the-art four-cylinder engines is another example of GM’s commitment to replace larger-displacement engines with more compact, advanced four-cylinder engines that optimize fuel savings and performance. We look forward to working with our union partners at these three plants to make this investment a success.”
