BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- General Motors Co.'s western New York plant will be the biggest beneficiary of an $890 million investment in five plants announced by the automaker today to improve its V-8 engines.

It's the second big investment in the Tonawanda plant to be announced this year. In February, GM said it would receive about $425 million in upgrades to begin building a new version of its four-cylinder Ecotec engine in 2012.

The automaker says the Tonawanda Engine plant near Buffalo will see $400 million in equipment upgrades and renovations to produce a fuel-efficient small block engine for cars and trucks.

Gov. David Paterson says the new line is expected to create 415 jobs and protect 300 existing positions. Paterson called the investment vital to western New York's auto industry and New York manufacturing as a whole.

The state Labor Department says the state has lost 30,600 manufacturing jobs over the last year, with auto sector jobs accounting for much of the Buffalo area's losses.

The Tonawanda plant, which 20 years ago employed 4,350 people, currently has 650 workers.

 

awesome

 

Tonawanda

2010-05-25

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Location:
Buffalo, New York

Total Employees: 1001
Salaried 140
Hourly 848 (includes 147 on layoff)
Contract 13

Union Local:
UAW Local 774

Products:

* Ecotec 2.2L - Chevrolet HHR
* Ecotec 2.4L – Chevrolet Malibu
* Vortec Inline 4 2.9L – Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size pickups
* Vortec Inline 5 3.7L – Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size pickups

Production:

* Engines produced in 2009 – 234,000
* Total engines produced since 1938 – 70 million

Facilities:
GM Powertrain Tonawanda Engine Plant #1
2995 River Road, Buffalo, New York 14207

GM Powertrain Tonawanda Engine Plant #5
240 Vulcan Road, Buffalo, NY 14207

Tonawanda Engine is a landfill-free plant. Our waste is either recycled or burned for energy.

Year Opened:
Plant #1 – 1938; Plant #4 – 1964(currently used for warehousing); Plant #5 – 2001

Plant Size (sq. ft):
Approximately 3.1 million square feet of floor space – 190 acres

Recent Awards

* May 2010 – Quality Network Planned Maintenance Phase III – Best-In-Class
* WNY Chapter 77 Vietnam Veteran’s of American Chapter – Certificate of Appreciation

Organizations Supported:

* American Cancer Society – Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
* American Red Cross
* United Way Day of Caring @ Hope Lodge
* March of Dimes
* (Numerous other local community charities)

Investments:
General Motors has awarded Tonawanda Engine two new product lines in 2010:

* $425 million for the next Generation Ecotec 2.0:/2.5L
* $400 million for a new V8 small block engine
* Including the above 2010 announcements, GM has invested $2.3 billion into Tonawanda Engine over the past decade

Both GM and UAW Local 774 represented employees are committed to producing the world’s best propulsion components and systems, as well as being a good corporate partner with the local Western New York community.

 

It looks like they are replacing the 2.4 with a improved 2.5 version and getting rid of the 2.2

http://media.gm.com/content/media/us...rain/Tonawanda