General Motors will invest more $115 million in its Defiance, Ohio, plant as part of an $890-million plan to produce a new generation of fuel-efficient, small-block truck and car engines.
The effort announced Tuesday will create or retain 1,600 jobs at five plants, including an estimated 189 jobs in Defiance.
Two plants will support the engine production: Tonawanda, N.Y., where GM plans a $400-million investment; and St. Catharines, Ontario, where GM will invest $235 million.
Three other plants will support engine casting and component production: Bedford, where the investment will total $111 million; Bay City, Mich., where the investment is estimated at $32 million; and Defiance.
The investments will cover facility renovations, the installation of new, highly flexible engine machining and assembly equipment and special tooling, and the expansion of semi-permanent mold and precision sand-casting technologies.
“These latest investments show our commitment to improving fuel economy for buyers of every GM car, truck and crossover and giving them the best possible driving and ownership experience,” said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, in Tuesday's announcement.
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. gave GM up to $2.5 million in performance-based tax credits to support the expansion of the Bedford plant, which could create another 245 jobs by 2013.
The city of Bedford, with the support of the Lawrence County Economic Growth Council, also approved an additional tax abatement for the new manufacturing equipment that will be required.
GM’s Bedford plant is one of four it has in Indiana, including the truck assembly plant in Fort Wayne.
©Copyright 2025 KPC Media Group, Inc.