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GM Selects Plants for Future Small Car Assembly General Motors announced today that its future small car will be built at its Michigan-based Orion Township assembly plant and Pontiac stamping plant, restoring 1,400 jobs and augmenting its industry-leading US manufacturing footprint of by far more than any other OEM. The decision is dependent on the outcome of ongoing economic incentive negotiations among GM and state and local government officials. “Small cars represent one of the fastest-growing segments in both the United States and around the world,” said Tony Clarke, president of General Motors North America. “GM will be the only automaker, foreign or domestic, to build small cars in the United States, and we believe Orion Assembly and Pontiac Stamping are well suited to deliver a high-quality, fuel-efficient car that competes with anything in the marketplace.” In addition to the Michigan facilities, assembly plants in Janesville, Wis., and Spring Hill, Tenn., were under consideration. A selection team comprised of leaders from several of GM’s functional areas made the final decision based on a specific set of criteria. The Spring Hill facility will be placed on standby capacity status in November 2009; the Janesville plant has been on standby capacity since May and will remain so. “This is great news for our members of UAW Local 5960, Oakland County, and the State of Michigan, and shows the world the UAW can compete in the most competitive segment of the automotive industry,” said Cal Rapson, UAW Vice President and Director, UAW-GM Department. Timing for the retooling of Orion Assembly and Pontiac Stamping has yet to be determined though GM anticipates prep work will begin in late 2010 in anticipation of production start-up in 2011. Orion Assembly is anticipated to be a two-shift operation building a combination of 160,000 small and compact cars annually.