General Motors announced it will invest $27 million in the Spring Hill plant.
The money will install equipment to assemble the Holden Acadia. It's the right-hand drive version of the GMC Acadia, and it will be exported to Australia.
The plant has currently been producing the GMC Acadia and the Cadillac XT5. The engine plant builds 4-cylinder and 8- cylinder engines. Engines have then been supplied to various GM assembly plants globally.
No additional jobs will be created, but the change will help retain 215 positions. A total of 3600 employees work at the plant. Around 2000 people have been hired over the last 12 months.
“I speak on behalf of the team members when I say we are grateful,” said Mike Herron, Chairman of UAW Local 1853. “When we get this kind of announcement, it’s positive for the plant, positive for the community, and positive for our team members.”
The Spring Hill plant opened in 1990 and produced Saturn vehicles until March 2007. It produced the Chevrolet Traverse from September 2008 until November 2009, and the Chevrolet Equinox from September 2012 until October 2015.
GM has announced more than $2.2 billion in investments for the Spring Hill plant since 2010.
Spring Hill City Administrator Victor Lay said the city was pleased to see GM making another investment in the facility.
“Spring Hill and Middle Tennessee is a fantastic place to do business,” said Lay. “The UAW workers are second to none anywhere.”
Lay said the plant has had a huge, positive economic impact on the city throughout the years.
The Holden Acadia has been scheduled to go on sale in 2018.
