Bowling Green Assembly Plant

Last updated
Bowling Green Assembly
Bowling Green Assembly Plant
Operated1981–present
Location Bowling Green, Kentucky
Coordinates 37°00′41″N86°22′00″W / 37.01139°N 86.36661°W / 37.01139; -86.36661
Industry Automotive
Products Automobiles
Employees1,422 (2022) [1]
Area212 acres (0.86 km2) [1]
Volume1,700,000 sq ft (160,000 m2)
Address600 Corvette Drive
Owner(s) General Motors
Website gm.com/bowling-green
Defunct ()

The Bowling Green Assembly Plant is a General Motors automobile factory in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is a specialized plant assembling GM's Y-body sports cars, the Chevrolet Corvette and formerly the Cadillac XLR. It was first opened on June 1, 1981.

Contents

By 2023, the plant had produced approximately 1.1 million Corvettes. [2] [3] As of 2022, GM employed approximately 1,100 people in Bowling Green. [4]

History

The first 300 Corvettes were hand built at a plant in Flint, Michigan in 1953. Production was moved the next year to a facility in St. Louis, Missouri and then finally ended up in 1981 at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant. General Motors opened the Bowling Green plant for production on June 1 that year, with most of the 900 Corvette workers from St. Louis transferring to the new plant. What was once an abandoned Chrysler industrial air-conditioning unit factory is now a 1.7 million square foot facility that employs almost one thousand people. The factory was built by the Chrysler Airtemp Division as the area provided the potential for skilled workers due to the high quality vocational training. In 1968, when plans for the factory were announced, Charles B. Gorey Jr., the vice president of the Chrysler Airtemp Division, announced that "production will require workers skilled in machine trades and most employees will be men." [5] After the factory was acquired from Chrysler, General Motors spent an estimated $130 million to refurbish the factory and install its own assembly line. [6] Guided tours of the plant are available throughout the year on weekdays, three times a day. [7]

On December 11, 2021, an EF-3 tornado damaged the roof and an entrance to the plant, briefly halting production. No employees were injured. [8]

Workers

As of 2022, GM employed approximately 1,100 people in Bowling Green. [4] The plant's workers are unionized, belonging to the United Auto Workers Local 2164. [9] [10]

Investments

Many large investments have been made to keep the plant as updated and cutting edge as possible. As the Corvette improves throughout the years, the technology to create it has to be revamped as well.

2017$500 million for the retooling of the general assembly line, paint booths, and robotic inventory system
2014/2013$3.5 million for the relocation of the Performance Build Center to Bowling Green
2013/2012$131 million for the plant remodel to make way for the C7 changeover, with $52 million for the Body Shop
2007$4.5 million for conveyor addition and remodel
2005$12 million for ELPO paint system
2005$5 million in ANDON global error proofing
2005/2004$19 million for C6 model changeover
2005/2004$3 million for paint sludge system/ air balancing
1996When production of the C4 Corvette ended in 1996, the plant was gutted and rebuilt to prepare for the more modern C5 Corvette.

Performance Build Center

The performance build center allows engine aficionados to build their own specialty engines. With the relocation of the performance build center from Michigan to Bowling Green, it allows customers to be able to build and watch the production of their car now all in one location. The opening of this center in Bowling Green is adding 20 new or relocated jobs to the community as well.

The center is the source of all the hand assembled dry sump engines. These would be the 6.2L LS3 V8 engine of the grand sport coupe (manual transmission only), the 7.0L LS7 V8 Z06 engine, and the 6.2L supercharged LS9 engine for the ZR1. [11]

Body shop

The new body shop now allows the aluminum frame to be produced in-house. The new shop also was designed to have the advancements to make the most complex frame design in Corvette's history. This new frame is 99 pounds lighter and 40% stiffer than the C6 frame. [12] With the chassis being so strong, the C7 convertible will not need any additional structural reinforcements to the frame which is very rare.

Community involvement

Features a wildlife habitat that is spread across 75 acres. The space also features a 42,000 pounds of ground-up ergonomic mats recycled from the plant for a picnic area. The land also features sunflowers that were planted by students and blue bird boxes that were made and installed by a local Boy Scout troop. The plant employs an environmental team that chooses appropriate plant species for the grounds. [13]

Vehicles produced

As of September, 2022: [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvette</span> American sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors (GM)

The Chevrolet Corvette is a line of American two-door, two-seater luxury sports cars, manufactured and marketed by GM, under the Chevrolet marque, since 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Motors LS-based small-block engine</span> Family of V8 and V6 engines

The General Motors LS-based small-block engines are a family of V8 and V6 engines designed and manufactured by American automotive company General Motors. First introduced in 1997, the family is a continuation of the earlier first- and second-generation Chevrolet small-block engine, of which over 100 million have been produced altogether, and is also considered to be one of the most popular V8 engines ever. Spanning three generations, a new, sixth generation is expected to enter production soon. Various small-block V8s were and still are available as crate engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saab 9-7X</span> Mid-size luxury SUV

The Saab 9-7X is a mid-size luxury SUV that was built by General Motors for the American market and sold under the Saab marque. The 9-7X was first revealed at the 2004 New York International Auto Show, and was available starting in the model year of 2005, as a replacement for the Oldsmobile Bravada.

Flint Assembly is an automobile factory operated by General Motors in Flint, Michigan. It is the city's only vehicle assembly plant after the closure of Buick City. Flint Truck Assembly is also GM's oldest, still operating assembly plant in North America. As of 2022, the Flint factory currently produces full-size pickup trucks. Engine block and cylinder heads were cast at Saginaw Metal Casting Operations, internal engine components were created at Bay City Powertrain and Grand Rapids Operations, and the engines were then assembled at Tonawanda Engine and Romulus Engine. For most of the 20th century Flint Assembly was the home factory for all Chevrolet vehicles.

Flint Engine Operations is a General Motors automobile engine factory in Flint, Michigan. The plant opened in 2002 and is named to replace the Flint North engine plant. The plant currently produces the small four-cylinder SGE and Duramax I6 engines. The factory receives cast engine blocks from Defiance Foundry in Defiance, Ohio and Saginaw Metal Casting Operations in Saginaw, Michigan. It replaced Flint North.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvette (C6)</span> Sixth generation of the Corvette sports car

The Chevrolet Corvette (C6) is the sixth generation of the Corvette sports car that was produced by Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 2005 to 2013 model years. It is the first Corvette with exposed headlamps since the 1962 model. Production variants include the Z06, ZR1, Grand Sport, and 427 Convertible. Racing variants include the C6.R, an American Le Mans Series GT1 championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE-Pro winner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Louis Truck Assembly</span> Former American factory

St. Louis Truck Assembly was a General Motors automobile factory that built GMC and Chevrolet trucks, GM "B" body passenger cars, and the 1954–1981 Corvette models in St. Louis. Opened in the 1920s as a Fisher body plant and Chevrolet chassis plant, it expanded facilities to manufacture trucks on a separate line. During World War II, the plant produced the DUKW amphibious vehicles for the military. Another expansion was added for the Corvette line in 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvette (C5)</span> Fifth generation of the Corvette sports car

The Chevrolet Corvette (C5) is the fifth generation of the Corvette sports car, produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1997 through 2004 model years. Production variants include the high performance Z06. Racing variants include the C5-R, a 24 Hours of Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans GTS/GT1 winner. The C5 Corvette was the first GM vehicle to feature the third generation small block "LS" engines. Pop-up headlights were featured on a Corvette for the final time during this generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvette (C2)</span> Motor vehicle

The Chevrolet Corvette (C2) is the second generation of the Corvette sports car, produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors (GM) for the 1963 through 1967 model years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvette (C4)</span> Fourth generation of the Corvette sports car

The Chevrolet Corvette (C4) is the fourth generation of the Corvette sports car, produced by American automobile manufacturer Chevrolet from 1983 until 1996. The convertible returned, as did higher performance engines, exemplified by the 375 hp (280 kW) LT5 found in the ZR-1. In early March 1990, the ZR-1 would set a new record for the highest 24 hour-5,000 mile land-speed by going over a speed of 175 mph (282 km/h). With a completely new chassis, modern sleeker styling, and other improvements to the model, prices rose and sales declined. The last C4 was produced on June 20, 1996.

Callaway Cars Inc. is an American specialty vehicle manufacturer and engineering company that designs, develops, and manufactures high-performance product packages for cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs. They specialize in Corvettes and GM vehicles. New GM vehicles are delivered to Callaway facilities where these special packages and components are installed. Then the vehicles are delivered to GM new car dealers where they are sold to retail customers, branded as Callaway. Callaway Cars is one of four core Callaway companies, including Callaway Engineering, Callaway Carbon and Callaway Competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Camaro (fourth generation)</span> Motor vehicle

The fourth-generation Chevrolet Camaro is a pony car that was produced by American automobile manufacturer General Motors for the 1993 through 2002 model years. It was introduced on an updated F-body platform, but retained the same characteristic since the first-generation's introduction back in 1967; 2-doors, 2+2 seating, coupé or convertible bodystyles, rear-wheel drive, and a choice of OHV V6 and V8 engines. The Camaro was revised in 1998 with both exterior and engine changes. General Motors discontinued production of the fourth generation of the Camaro due to slow sales, a deteriorated sports coupé market, and plant overcapacity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automotive industry in Flint, Michigan</span>

Flint, Michigan is a city which previously relied on its automotive industry, and still does to an extent. Over the past several decades, General Motors plants in Genesee County have experienced re-namings, management shifts, openings, closures, reopenings, and spinoffs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonawanda Engine</span> General Motors engine factory in Islip, New York

Tonawanda Engine is a General Motors engine factory in Buffalo, New York. The plant consists of three facilities totaling 3.1 million square feet (290,000 m2) and sits upon 190 acres (77 ha). The factory receives cast engine blocks from Defiance Foundry in Defiance, Ohio and Saginaw Metal Casting Operations in Saginaw, Michigan, and received engine block castings and cylinder heads from the former Massena Castings Plant in Massena, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American automobile industry in the 1950s</span>

The 1950s were pivotal for the American automobile industry. The post-World War II era brought a wide range of new technologies to the automobile consumer, and a host of problems for the independent automobile manufacturers. The industry was maturing in an era of rapid technological change; mass production and the benefits from economies of scale led to innovative designs and greater profits, but stiff competition between the automakers. By the end of the decade, the industry had reshaped itself into the Big Three, Studebaker, and AMC. The age of small independent automakers was nearly over, as most of them either consolidated or went out of business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvette (C7)</span> Seventh generation of the Corvette sports car

The Chevrolet Corvette (C7) is the seventh generation of the Corvette sports car manufactured by American automobile manufacturer Chevrolet from 2014 until 2019. The first C7 Corvettes were delivered in the third quarter of 2013.

Wixom Performance Build Center is a 100,000 square feet General Motors high performance engine factory in Wixom, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Corvette (C8)</span> Eighth generation of the Corvette sports car

The Chevrolet Corvette (C8) is the eighth generation of the Corvette sports car manufactured by American automobile manufacturer Chevrolet. It is the first rear mid-engine Corvette since the model's introduction in 1953, differing from the traditional front mid-engine design started in 1963. The C8 was announced in April 2019, and the coupe made its official debut on July 18, 2019, in Tustin, California. The convertible made its debut in October 2019 during a media event at the Kennedy Space Center to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. The racing version, the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, also made its debut that same month. Production officially began on February 3, 2020, delayed by the 2019 General Motors strike.

Saginaw Metal Casting Operations is an automobile engine foundry plant in Saginaw, Michigan. Opened under GM management in 1919, the factory produces engine blocks and cylinder heads for General Motors vehicles. The factory currently occupies 1.9 million square feet on 490 acres. Historically in September 1927 it was known as the Chevrolet Grey Iron Foundry. In the past when it was called GM-Saginaw Product Company (SPC) a cloverleaf casting symbol mark was cast onto the iron component.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Gemini small-block engine</span> Chevrolet V8 engine

The Chevrolet Gemini small-block engine is a dual-overhead cam (DOHC) V8 engine designed by General Motors. While technically a small-block engine because of its bore spacing of 4.4 inches, General Motors engineers do not consider it to be a part of the traditional Chevrolet small block lineage because of the substantial reworking, specialized development, and unique technical features distinguishing its design.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bowling Green on GM.com
  2. ↑ Jim Smart, Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green, Motortrend (July 25, 2019).
  3. ↑ Jake Foster, National Corvette Museum Celebrates 29th Anniversary, highlighting Corvette legacy, WKU Public Radio (August 25, 2023).
  4. 1 2 "Schedule 21: City of Bowling Green, Kentucky Principal Employers, Current Year and Nine Years Ago". Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2022 (PDF) (Report). City of Bowling Green Department of Finance. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  5. ↑ Margaret, Gentry (12 Jul 1968). "Chrysler Airtemp Division to Locate Plant in City". Park City Daily News.
  6. ↑ Hershberg, Ben Z. (11 Aug 1981). "Beyond the 'Heaven" of New Corvette Plant, GM Sees Some Hurdles". Courier-Journal.
  7. ↑ "Bowling Green". GM News. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  8. ↑ Jamie L. LaReau (December 14, 2021). "GM's Factory ZERO helps fix Corvette plant after tornado rips through". Detroit Free Press.
  9. ↑ Jake Moore, UAW Local 2164 rallies in solidarity with fellow auto workers, Bowling Green Daily News (October 6, 2023).
  10. ↑ Tucker Covey, Local UAW chapter president discusses historic strike, WNKY (September 15, 2023).
  11. ↑ "GM Relocating Performance Build Center to Bowling Green". GM News. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  12. ↑ Mceachern, Sam. "General Motors Re-Opens Overhauled Bowling Green Assembly Plant To The Public". GM Authority. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  13. ↑ "Experience Corvette As Never Before". Chevrolet. Retrieved 28 February 2014.

37°0′41.02″N86°21′59.81″W / 37.0113944°N 86.3666139°W / 37.0113944; -86.3666139

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.