General Motors investing in Flint Engine Operations - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI

(12/05/12) - General Motors is investing millions in its Flint Engine Operations facility. Wednesday, the company broke ground on a $7.5 million expansion project.

With the toss of the dirt, GM and UAW officials celebrated Flint Engine's new multi-million dollar office project.

It's a project that has been greatly anticipated.

"When this factory was built about 20 years ago, we did not build an administration building. We did not put an office complex in and since that time we've been operating out of a bunch of trailers that were put together," said Terri Burden, FEO plant manager.

The trailers have served as a temporary administration building for more than 10 years.

"I am anxious for those buildings to get up," Burden said.

Michigan-based Granger Construction is in charge of the project.

Dozens of skilled workers from the Genesee County area will also get their hands dirty working at the site.

"Over 75 percent of the trade workers that are going to be working this job are companies that are based here in Flint and Genesee County," said Ben Schneider of Granger Construction.

The construction project digs up new hope and excitement for employees at the facility.

"It means longevity for us," said Dan Reyes of UAW Local 599. "The fact that they are putting in permanent offices, we're hoping, keeping our fingers crossed, that it will give us a commitment to add more floor space, which will bring in new product for us."

"I don't think that we would be building an office building if there weren't going to be additional work that's put into this plant, so it's a really good sign that General Motors has confidence in this plant," Burden said.

This is the third construction project at Flint Engine in a little more than a decade.

In the last 4 years, GM has poured nearly $475 million into the facility.

The two office units are expected to be complete in August of next year.