GM to Invest $439 Million Into Corvette Plant

By Anne Steele 

General Motors Co. will pump $439 million into its Chevrolet Corvette plant in a move that will bring more color choices to enthusiasts of the iconic sports car which has been exclusively built there since 1981.

A 450,000 square-foot paint shop will be added to the Bowling Green, Ky. plant allowing for the introduction of more "precise" paint pigments while also retaining 150 jobs at the facility. The paint shop will include upgraded robots and ovens, as well as a slew of technology upgrades.

"With this major technology investment, we can continue to exceed the expectations of sports car buyers for years to come," North American manufacturing manager Arvin Jones said in a statement.

The investment is part of GM's pledge to put $5.4 billion into its U.S. facilities over the next three years. Last week, the Detroit auto maker announced a sweeping $1 billion makeover of its iconic Warren Technical Center, one of the industry's hubs of car design and engineering. Upgrades at the sprawling, 59-year-old complex in Warren, Mich., will start this month and continue through 2018.

The latest upgrades in Bowling Green follow $135 million in investments GM has made in the plant over the last four years to support the launch of the new Corvette Stingray and the opening of the Performance Build Center where aficionados build their own specialty engines.

"The Corvette is one of Kentucky's most-cherished icons," said. Lt. Gov. Crit Luallen. "Such a significant expansion will help the company remain competitive in the region and around the world."

A groundbreaking event was scheduled to follow the announcement Thursday morning. Construction of the new paint shop is slated to begin this summer and take about two years to complete. Corvette production schedules will be not be affected, GM said.

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