GM Pledges To Make Good On Vehicle Lines At Spring Hill, 1,800 Jobs

Spring Hill manufacturing workers put the finishing touches on doors for the Chevrolet Equinox, which has been produced on the plant’s flex assembly line since September 2012. Credit: GM

General Motors will build a second vehicle at its plant in Spring Hill, adding as many as 1,800 jobs. The company is also investing an additional $167 million into the factory that began as home to the Saturn brand.

The announcement draws “upon the plant’s unique heritage,” says GM North America president Mark Reuss in a statement.

GM Spring Hill once employed 6,000 people when it was building Saturns. But it was idled in 2009 during the automaker’s restructuring. Since last year, the plant has been operating well below capacity building four-cylinder engines as well as the Chevrolet Equinox, a small SUV that’s also assembled at a Canadian factory.

GM had already promised the United Auto Workers another assignment in Spring Hill. A yet-to-be-named mid-size vehicle will add some 800 jobs, according to the company. GM is also putting more money into the existing production line which will “create or retain” another 1,000 jobs.

Currently, Spring Hill has a workforce of roughly 2,000. GM has not said when hiring will begin.