GM will export SUVs from Tennessee to Australia
NASHVILLE -- In another victory for U.S. exports, General Motors is investing $27 million in its Spring Hill, Tenn., assembly plant to make a right-hand-drive vehicle to sell in Australia.
The Detroit-based automaker announced plans Friday to assemble the Holden Acadia -- the Australian version of the GMC Acadia — at the plant about 40 miles south of Nashville, which produces the Cadillac XT5 and GMC Acadia.
The 2018 Holden Acadia was revealed in 2015 and the vehicle will go on sale in the second half of 2018 in Australia.
“The team at Spring Hill Vehicle Assembly is proud to add this important model to our range, particularly as it is exclusively an export product. Customers from around the world can enjoy the craftsmanship our Spring Hill team provides,” Ken Knight, Spring Hill Assembly Plant manager, said in a statement.
The Spring Hill plant employs 4,097 workers. No additional jobs will be created for the right-hand-drive vehicle assembly beyond temporary launch positions, but 215 positions will be retained, according to a media release.
“This new right hand drive model that we will build in the USA for export, will further drive job security for all our team members,” said Mike Herron, chairman of United Auto Workers Local 1853, said in a statement.
The Spring Hill manufacturing facility opened 27 years ago and produced Saturn vehicles until 2007. It made the Chevrolet Traverse from September 2008 to November 2009 and the Chevrolet Equinox from September 2012 to October 2015.
GM has announced more than $2.2 billion in investments for the Spring Hill plant since 2010,
The company's announcement also shows the growing importance of Tennessee when it come to auto production.
It is the latest in a series of investments by automakers in Tennessee in recent months. GM in Spring Hill, Volkswagen in Chattanooga and Nissan in Smyrna have been on hiring sprees lately and the three major assembly plants have undergone recent expansions to help meet consumer demand for bigger vehicles.
In 2015, 6.3%of all U.S.-made cars, light trucks and SUVs were produced in the Volunteer State, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.