GM’s Ontario auto workers are reportedly excited and happy about the announcement that GM plans to invest $250 million in the CAMI Assembly Plant at Ingersoll. The company said that the money would be used to install flexible body shop equipment and tooling that would support future production. There was no announcement of specific production to be carried out in the plant.
“Conversion of the CAMI Assembly Plant to a flexible manufacturing facility will provide CAMI with the ability to produce multiple global architectures and body styles,” said Kevin Williams, president and managing director, General Motors of Canada. “Continually improving the flexibility of our manufacturing operations helps us respond quickly to customer needs and market demand.”
Williams added that customer demand for GM’s newest vehicles has been strong in 2013, and sales have been strong. He said that this was vindication of the company’s strategy of investing in manufacturing flexibility is working. Flexible vehicle architectures help to simplify assembly plants and increase their efficiency, GM says.
The investment in manufacturing flexibility will give CAMI the ability to build a greater variety of products, on multiple platforms, at lower costs. It also makes it easier for GM to introduce and deliver new products to the market at a faster pace.
The CAMI plant currently produces the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossover vehicles.
Construction at the plant is expected to begin within weeks.
