GM Arlington Kicks Off Year of Plant Open Houses

More than 1,600 get first inside look at their 54-year-old neighbor

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Feb 01, 2011, 08:38 ET

ARLINGTON, Texas, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- They drive on Texas Highway 360 daily, passing the sprawling General Motors assembly plant that for nearly six decades has turned out some of GM's most popular models – from the 1987 Monte Carlo SS to the cutting edge two-mode hybrid full-size pickups and SUVs. Those curious about what goes on inside are getting a rare first-person view this week.

Three trams, each capable of carrying about 30 people, move like clockwork; a makeshift historical museum fills the People Center that doubles as an emergency shelter area. Various displays and attractions dot the parking lot near Gate 6, open for the first time to all comers.

The men and women of Arlington Assembly and United Auto Workers Local 276 heartily greeted more than 1,600 guests Monday.

Located just a couple of miles from the giant Six Flags Over Texas amusement park, Arlington Assembly imitated a public attraction while continuing to produce Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac full-size SUVs. That the line was running and vehicles were being assembled required precise choreography, said Terry Murphy, who heads manufacturing engineering at the plant.

"We probably did 40 dry runs to get this right," he said, adding that the proximity to the amusement park was not lost on him and his team. "A lot of what we're doing here is mimicking what you see at Six Flags. We're just not as experienced at it."

Arlington Assembly, the first of 54 GM facilities to host open houses this year, never has held regular tours.

"It's never been open to the public, so it's a privilege to be here," said Gary Westlund, who drove 25 minutes with his wife and teen-age son from Keller, Tex., to take the tour. "Seeing the entire process from chassis to finished truck is impressive."

Said Vickie Harris, a high school French teacher from Eagle Mountain, Tex., about 50 minutes from the plant: "It's just the organization of the plant. Everything is on task and on time, and the general attitude of the people, not just the ones greeting us, but the ones on the line was very positive and I got the impression this is a good place to work."

Exactly what Belinda Langley, Local 276 shop chairperson, was hoping to hear when she said last week, "We can't wait to show visitors all we do to ensure they get a top-quality product from our plant."

Once inside the plant, guests are directed to the heritage center, which did not exist last week and won't be there next week. For now, it is filled with boards, displays and a few special vehicles built at the plant and kept there, including a 1954 Pontiac Star Chief.

"We pulled this together in just under two weeks," said plant Quality Manager Dan Clarkson. "We brainstormed ideas on where to put things and pretty much did it on a shoestring. We really didn't have a budget."

About General Motors – General Motors Company (NYSE: GM, TSX: GMM), one of the world's largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 209,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in more than 120 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 31 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Baojun, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall, and Wuling. GM's largest national market is China, followed by the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Italy, Russia, Mexico, and Uzbekistan. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. General Motors acquired operations from General Motors Corporation on July 10, 2009, and references to prior periods in this and other press materials refer to operations of the old General Motors Corporation. More information on the new General Motors can be found at www.gm.com.