GM to hasten new Trucks in Oshawa

[Ming]

GM to hasten new trucks in Oshawa
$227 million to retool for pickups
Next generation of vehicles comes early
Feb. 24, 2006
TONY VAN ALPHEN
BUSINESS REPORTER
www.thestar.com

General Motors of Canada Ltd. says it will spend $227 million to prepare its Oshawa truck plant for assembly of a new generation of pickups.

GM, the country's biggest auto maker, confirmed the investment yesterday and added that work, including extensive retooling has already started.

The work comes after the company decided to move up the launch of the new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups by about six months. They will begin rolling off the assembly line in October instead of the spring of 2007.

"It's very competitive in the full-size truck market and we want to make sure our best product is out there as fast as we can get it there," said company spokesman Stew Low.

GM has kept the models under wraps and not revealed them at any auto shows this year while concentrating on marketing new sport utility vehicles. The company may wait until some major state fairs in the U.S. this summer to unveil them.

GM has not redesigned the current truck models since the fall of 1998.

The investment for the trucks is somewhat smaller than normal by industry standards for plant changes to accommodate new-generation models. Some overhauls can reach a half billion dollars.

The work at the Oshawa plant, including retooling in the body shop and assembly areas, will force a shutdown the week of April 3 and all of September. It will idle about 3,500 workers.

Full Article: GM to hasten new trucks in Oshawa

[FORDSUXGMGOOD]

ok whats wrong with that statement?? some overhauls could reach 500 million!? i understand its the big money maker but how come pontiac and buick cant get better models than the current roster except for the solstice which is rackin up the sales like its goin out of style!!if GM has 14 billion dollars in the bank but dont get rid of some of the debt how the hell will GM ever come out of it??500 million isnt pocket change to anyone in the world not even Bill Gates-so why is GM willing to put up 500 mill for the new truck plant yet cant design better cars and trucks for Pontiac,Buick and even Saab for that matter..

[kenman923]

That will be interesting. Why not introduce them at some theme park like Disney.

[Cortazzo]

While the current trucks are good vehicles, they really need these new trucks to sell with less incentives to really bring GM back in the black. I hope they are a little more striking than the SUVs.

[Buick61]

The current model actually rolled out to dealer lots in the summer of 1998...that will be an 8 year run by the time the next generation rolls around. The problem with waiting so long is that these will only be out a year or so before their main competition gets completely redone (F150, Ram, Titan).

[Variant]

Originally Posted by FORDSUXGMGOOD

ok whats wrong with that statement?? some overhauls could reach 500 million!? i understand its the big money maker but how come pontiac and buick cant get better models than the current roster except for the solstice which is rackin up the sales like its goin out of style!!if GM has 14 billion dollars in the bank but dont get rid of some of the debt how the hell will GM ever come out of it??500 million isnt pocket change to anyone in the world not even Bill Gates-so why is GM willing to put up 500 mill for the new truck plant yet cant design better cars and trucks for Pontiac,Buick and even Saab for that matter..

You might want to read the article first.

1. Those prices are most likely Canadian.
2. They are not building a new plant.
3. Half a billion is what it usually cost to retool.
4. They are spending $227 million retooling.

[Gm786]

Intresting.... Are the people over there in Oshawa crazy about GM trucks? And let's also hope that GM builds their new 2007 GM Trucks with Great Quality! Oshawa is a good GM production plant anyways...

[jae1987]

I don't understand why they are saying the trucks will run off the line in Oct. My dads plat (Pontiac, MI) is going down for changeover in march. And my mom is in Flint ding the HD's and they are going down in May. So is it really going to take that long to get the production trucks going? I think GM is just going to screw themselves if they start building in Jun-July and get a stock pile of them going for 4 months and then they don't sell well by some reason be it gas prices. I think they should start puching them in the lots in lat July august, try and grab some summer camping traffic. Since the old people like to buy the new big trucks.

[MadTruckMan]

I work at the Ft wayne assembly where the silverado and sierra are made. We just got off a 2 week shutdown for some retooling. There is supposed to be at least 2 more shutdowns before we roll out the 900. We've been told that the 900 will be rolling off our lines sometime in november, which is supposed to be 2 months after the new tundra comes out (another brilliant plan by GM management!). I've only seen the truck without paint and unassembled in the body shop and there are some significant differences in the new 900 truck. As it gets closer to time for production, I'll have more info about this.

BEAT TOYOTA!!!!

[banzai79]

When is the Texas state fair? I bet it gets shown there for sure, if not even officially unveiled.

[sgfootball2006]

Originally Posted by banzai79

When is the Texas state fair? I bet it gets shown there for sure, if not even officially unveiled.

september 29th. I have a good feeling that it will be revealed there.

2007 TRUCK ZONE: Texans love trucks, and here's where to find the newest styles and accessories. Entertainment and the latest offerings from Chevy, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, GMC, as well as a few surprises.

[Driveshaft]

Originally Posted by Cortazzo

I hope they are a little more striking than the SUVs.

You and me both.

[AndrewGS]

Originally Posted by Cortazzo

I hope they are a little more striking than the SUVs.

I hope they're a bit more truck-like than the 900 SUVs.

[Gm786]

They will be from what I hear...

[logansowner]

Originally Posted by Variant

You might want to read the article first.

1. Those prices are most likely Canadian.
2. They are not building a new plant.
3. Half a billion is what it usually cost to retool.
4. They are spending $227 million retooling.

That is too much work for some people, I like to call them headline whiners. Read a misleading headline and jump the gun and get it completely wrong.

You are correct in everything but the Canadian figures, big investment costs up here are almost always given in US funds. But 227 million Canadian is somewhere around 200 mill US now, so it's not a big difference either way.