GM Guarantees the Future of Diesel-Powered Chevrolet Silverado Medium and Heavy-Duty Trucks

GM capped off a huge string of investments by announcing that it is spending $920 million dollars to quadruple the size of its Ohio plant that builds Duramax diesel engines for Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra medium and heavy-duty trucks. This announcement followed other announcements guaranteeing that GM will keep building internal combustion trucks and large SUVs for years to come.

GM Spending Nearly $1 Billion at Brookville, Ohio Plant

According to U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown’s office, General Motors (GM) will invest $920 million in its facility in Brookville. The funding will help build a 1.1-million square-foot expansion of GM’s Brookville facility and install new technology and equipment. The facility produces Duramax diesel engines for the Chevrolet Silverado HD and the GMC Sierra HD.

“Ohio workers are the future of the auto industry,” said Brown. “Together, GM and Ohio are taking another step in leading the country and the world in producing the American-made, union-made vehicles of the future.”

The purpose of all the big announcements appears to be three-fold.

• GM is trying to allay the fears of buyers who are concerned that GM is rushing to go all electric and may leave them in the lurch.
• GM needs to keep profits coming in to finance all of its investments in future EV production.
• GM is trying to pacify the UAW about its intentions to retain traditional workers. The Detroit Three are heading into what are expected to be contentious contract talks.

Diesel Trucks are the Work Horses of the World

Some people love their diesel trucks. If a diesel engine is well cared for it can last for years and hundreds of thousands of miles. Diesels can provide incredible torque for towing and truly are workhorses, especially for construction and farming. Back in the day, most of the news trucks were diesels because of the heavy microwave equipment and all of the other heavy gear. I was never a fan then because of the smell and the diesel rattle, but automakers have dramatically improved both of the problems. Duramax diesels are renowned for their quality and length of service.

There is a huge demand for Chevrolet and GMC heavy and medium-duty pickups, especially as the construction world recovers from the pandemic setbacks. GM needed to find a way to make more Duramax diesel engines. The Brookville DMAX plant now gets a new lease on life. GM plans to phase out a nearby operation in Moraine and move those workers to the new improved Brookville plant when it is completed. GM is guaranteeing jobs for the immediate future which is great news for Duramax diesel lovers and the workers in the Brookville area.

Chevrolet Photo

Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.

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