GM to Invest $1.2 Billion in Full-Size Truck Plant

Fort Wayne construction to continue 

award-winning pickup manufacturing  

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – General Motors is investing $1.2 billion in its full-size pickup truck plant for upgrades and technology that will improve the plant’s competitiveness in assembling high-quality light- and heavy-duty models.

 

Construction of the new pre-treat, electro-coat paint operation and sealing facility, expanded body shop, expanded and new material sequencing centers, and upgraded general assembly area is expected to begin in June and take several years to complete. Full-size truck production schedules will be unaffected by the construction.

“This investment is more evidence that the customer is at the center of every decision we make,” said Cathy Clegg, GM North America Manufacturing vice president. “Truck customers demand top quality. The upgrades at Fort Wayne Assembly will enable our team to continue delivering for them for years to come.”

The investment includes many technological and environmental upgrades:

·         New pre-treatment facility featuring thin-film paint pretreatment

·         E-coat paint customized to each vehicle style, resulting in superior coverage and curability

·         GM-patented radiant tube ovens for exceptional paint finish and lower energy use

·         New equipment that accommodates the many variations of the truck cab and box being placed on the chassis

·         New skillet conveyance systems for instrument panel assembly intended to improve worker ergonomics, leading to better product quality.

“These new technologies and equipment will help fulfill the mission of the men and women of Fort Wayne Assembly and UAW Local 2209 to build the best full-size trucks available,” said UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada. “The investment improves the plant’s competitiveness so we can continue contributing to the community as well.”

Said Indiana Gov. Mike Pence: “Around the world, Indiana is known as a proven leader in advanced manufacturing. Powered by a pro-growth business environment and a highly-skilled workforce, GM is leveraging Indiana’s strengths to help it remain competitive across the globe. Today’s announcement marks a significant promise to the Hoosier State and ensures GM’s presence in Indiana and its support of Hoosier jobs long into the future, reaffirming that Indiana is a state that works for business.”

Fort Wayne Assembly began building light-duty trucks in 1986. Today, it is a three-shift operation with approximately 3,800 employees who build light- and heavy-duty regular and double cab full-size trucks.

The investments in Fort Wayne are part of the $5.4 billion that GM said April 30 it would invest in U.S. facilities over the next three years. 

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

Transfer Tanks for Pickup Trucks - Highway Products

Aluminum transfer tanks are very convenient when you need to transport diesel, bio-diesel or water to your worksite. We have four different transfer tanks to choose from or you can customize a fuel tank that will meet your needs. We use 3/16 inch marine grade aluminum and Heliarc® all transfer tank shells. All transfer tanks for pickup trucks and custom transfer tanks come with a Lifetime Warranty.

Find out more at:  http://www.highwayproducts.com

GMC Applauds Precision in Design with ‘Sharp’

Third installment in Precision campaign features 

leading American designer Michael Bastian

DETROIT – The parallels between the GMC Yukon Denali and the world of impeccable dressing, from apparel to accessory and grooming, is the focus of “Sharp”, the third installment in the brand’s Precision advertising campaign launching today.

The Precision campaign is part of a major advertising investment this year that showcases GMC’s full line of premium trucks, SUVs and crossovers, including its popular Denali sub-brand. The two previous spots in the series, “Fastball” and “Swish”, focused on how precision influences athletic performance.

In “Sharp,” GMC collaborates with leading fashion designer Michael Bastian, who makes a cameo appearance in a new TV ad. The “Sharp” ad sparks the beginning of a creative dialogue between the designer and the GMC brand around what it means to be professional grade, juxtaposing the details of an impeccably dressed man, right down to the designer stitching in his suit compared to the precise features in a Yukon Denali.

The Yukon Denali is the ultimate expression of professional grade, blending unique design elements with upscale amenities, including premium interior materials.

To complement the TV spot, GMC created a short film exploring precision in fashion, photography and music, entitled “The Sharp American.” Directed by acclaimed storyteller Arnaud Boutin, the film features perspectives from Bastian, photographer Michael Avedon and musician Twin Shadow on how precision shapes their respective crafts. The piece celebrates sharp Americans who stand out from the crowd through their commitment to creating at a professional grade. The feature-length film will be screened during the inaugural New York Fashion Week: Men’s, which is taking place July 13-16 in New York City.

“Attention to detail, precision and craftsmanship are at the core of the GMC brand and there are obvious similarities between the design of our vehicles and the precision and craft which go into other aspects of premium design,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing. ”We enjoyed exploring these parallels with Michael Bastian and in the film, ‘The Sharp American’.”  

Said Bastian: “I was excited when GMC approached me with this opportunity to explore this concept of ‘sharpness’ and the design parallels between our two worlds. As a luxury brand, we understand the necessity for attention to detail and craft in everything we do, much like GMC. As we put the finishing touches on our upcoming Spring ’16 runway show at the first dedicated New York Men’s Week, GMC gave us an invaluable perspective on how a premium brand outside of fashion explores cut, detail, and precision.”

GMC has manufactured trucks since 1902, with innovation and engineering excellence built into all GMC vehicles. The brand is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient trucks and crossovers, including the Terrain small SUV and Acadia crossover. GMC’s highest-volume vehicle, the Sierra pickup, is the most powerful light-duty pickup on the market, and the first full-size pickup to receive the highest-possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its New Car Assessment Program for the 2011 model year. Details on all GMC models are available at http://www.gmc.com/, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at http://www.facebook.com/gmc.

GMC Trucks at Work - Pre WWII

A collection of pre-World War II photographs
from the New York Public Library.

Find out more at: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2011/05/02/work-work-work-gmcs-on-the-job/

Product News - Simpleco by Sortimo

Simplico by Sortimo offers van packages designed for easy installation.

Find out more at: http://www.sortimo.de/fahrzeugeinrichtung/fahrzeugeinrichtungsloesungen/simpleco-by-sortimo-haengend

Knapheide EC Series - A superior service body with the weight of fiberglass yet at the price (and durability) of steel

The EC Series Service Bodies are compatible with half ton and compact pickups that have a factory approved pickup box removal or bed delete option. It is the industry's exclusive service body solution for half ton and compact pickups.

Put your half ton or compact truck to work with Knapheide's EC Series Service Body.  EC Service Bodies have been specifically designed for half ton and compact trucks with a factory approved pick up box removal or bed delete option.  With weight savings of over 25% compared to standard steel service bodies, EC Service Bodies give the owner/operator more than enough applicable payload for their half ton or compact pickup. The EC Series Service Bodies feature an optimized understructure for superior strength to weight ratio and possesses all the same tried and true standard features found on all other Knapheide Service Bodies.

EC Service Bodies provide work truck owners with increased organization and functionality leading to more productivity and efficiency on the jobsite. The combination of a rugged steel construction and full immersion in Knapheide's exclusive E-Coat prime paint system ensure owner/operators can depend on EC Series Service Bodies for years to come.


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Cargo won't fit? Rack-it rack allows carrying it on top of the KUV!

Can't get materials in the back, Rack-it rack allows placing and securing them on top of the roof. Are they too wide or too long? This rack allows materials as wide as the body to be placed on top. Maybe you just want to keep stuff off the floor, secure it on top!

Designed and built for a Knapheide KUV body, this rack is constructed of 2x2 square tubing. Because of the way the roof slopes,the feet of the rack were designed to to pivot ensuring a solid connection to the roof.

It has six cross bars for support,an extremely stout load handling solution for this application. The rack was finished off with a heavy duty, industrial grade black powder coat finish. 

To find out more, you may call Rack-It truck racks at 800-445-7666.

Also find us at http://rackitinc.com/