USA - GM Expands the Spring Hill production facility to a third shift with another 650 jobs to meet expanded sales.

General Motors today announced plans to add a third shift and 650 jobs to Spring Hill Manufacturing to increase output of the recently launched Cadillac XT5 and GMC Acadia.

The shift is expected to begin in January 2017. Staffing details are being finalized and positions will be filled starting this quarter.

“Spring Hill is demonstrating again its flexibility and agility to meet increasing customer demand for GM’s hot products,” said Cathy Clegg, vice president, GM North America Manufacturing & Labor Relations.

“Just last month, Spring Hill quickly converted engine production to meet higher demand for full-size truck engines,” Clegg said. 

“Now the Spring Hill team will need to move with lightning speed to launch a third shift in vehicle assembly in only three months.”

UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada said she is confident the Spring Hill team is up to the challenge.

“Today’s announcement of an added shift is a credit to UAW Spring Hill members who launched a highly successful quality product in the new Cadillac XT5 and GMC Acadia,” Estrada said. “It is a credit to the productive UAW workforce and GM Spring Hill team that 650 jobs are now being added in Tennessee.”

Spring Hill’s UAW Local 1853 Chairman Mike Herron said, “This is outstanding news for our entire Spring Hill workforce and the middle Tennessee area.

“The tremendous success in the marketplace of the Cadillac XT5 and the GMC Acadia is indicative of the pride and craftsmanship that are built into each of these vehicles by the highly skilled UAW members that make them,” Herron said.

The GM Spring Hill Manufacturing facility is located on 2,100 acres in Spring Hill, a growing community 40 miles south of Nashville. The site manufacturing operations currently consist of a flexible vehicle assembly plant, including a body shop, paint shop, two polymer injection molding operations and general assembly, and an engine plant. There are 3,300 hourly and salaried employees at Spring Hill.

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said, "Thirty-one years after GM chose to locate a plant in Tennessee from among 38 states, the Spring Hill plant is proving that GM made exactly the right decision: Tennessee is still the best place in the country for auto jobs. I congratulate GM and its Spring Hill employees on this great news."

Tennessee’s Governor Bill Haslam highlighted the importance of manufacturing for the state.

"We want to thank GM for today's announcement and creating these additional high-skilled jobs, another important investment by a company that can choose to do business anywhere," Haslam said. "Manufacturing has long been a hallmark of Tennessee's economy, and the Brookings Institution recently ranked Tennessee No. 1 in the U.S. for advanced industry job growth."

Spring Hill Mayor Rick Graham said he is thrilled with GM’s commitment to the community.

“We remain excited and proud of the continued success and momentum at GM Spring Hill Manufacturing with yet another major job growth announcement,” said Graham. “These are good-paying jobs with excellent benefits that will spawn more economic growth in Spring Hill and contribute to our goal of moving away from being a commuter city, allowing more people to live where they work.”

The XT5 model is the biggest contributor to Cadillac’s global growth. The brand has registered double-digit sales increases globally for four consecutive months. In its first six months on the market, the XT5 has become Cadillac’s best-selling model with more than 22,000 sales in the U.S.

The all-new 2017 GMC Acadia is also selling fast. Acadia models stay on dealer lots for an average of 19 days before they are sold, according to GM sales data. The industry average is 73 days, according toEdmunds.com.

General Motors has announced more than $2 billion for the Spring Hill Manufacturing operations since 2010. This includes a $148-million investment announced in February to repurpose flexible machining and assembly equipment to build Small Block 6.2L V-8 engines for trucks. Spring Hill Manufacturing recently broke ground for the expansion of its engine plant, part of the $788.7 million investment announced in April.