Coming Home: Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Production Heads to Flint

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

It looks like Mexico couldn’t handle the demand.

After sending some of the production of its light-duty trucks south of the border in 2013, General Motors will soon begin assembly of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab in Flint, Michigan, according to MLive.

Crew cab production at GM’s oldest plant starts in 2017, with existing workers able to pick up lucrative Saturday shifts. Temporary workers will be brought on to bolster existing employees.

Why the move back home? It came down to buyers wanting an American-built truck, said UAW Local 598 Shop Chairman Eric Welter, and because GM’s Silao, Mexico plant couldn’t crank them out fast enough.

“This was just a need to satisfy their customers,” he told MLive. “We’re having a hard time getting the four-door.”

Flint Assembly already produces heavy-duty versions of the Silverado and GMC Sierra, but a 2009 investment gave the plant the capability of producing a light-duty truck. In total, the plant has seen about $1.5 billion in upgrades over the past three years, including a new body and paint shop — part of GM’s $5.4 billion country-wide investment plan.

GM’s Fort Wayne assembly plant in Indiana handles the remaining light-duty production.

Since the depths of the recession in 2009, Silverado sales have nearly doubled. Sales of all variants passed the 600,000 mark in the U.S. last year.

[Image: General Motors]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Carlson Fan Carlson Fan on May 26, 2016

    The worst automotive trend ever - black rims! Yuck! And the truck in the photo isn't a CC BTW

  • DenverMike DenverMike on May 26, 2016

    Others in the Top 10: Assembly/Labor is a small part of total costs Mexico buys more Rams than GM pickups combined Mexico buys more regular and extended cabs when the do Trump will put the spotlight Mexico builds Fullsize pickups are very high margin Titans and Tundras are *proudly* USA Made

  • Drzhivago138 Drzhivago138 on May 27, 2016

    Hey, wait a minute! That's a Double Cab (extended cab) in the lead pic!

  • Redapple Redapple on May 27, 2016

    1982 WWCK FM in Flint had a novelty song. 'I m a Flintoid.' Classic.

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