U.S. Manufacturing Gets an Added Boost from General Motors

2014 is off to a good start for American manufacturers, as numerous reports come out projecting a rise in production and hiring. Adding to this optimism, General Motors has announced an investment of nearly $1.3 billion to five manufacturing plants across the Midwest.

This investment will retain and create about 1,000 jobs in the region. The investment will also provide for plant upgrades, allowing the facilities to better produce new fuel- efficient engines and transmissions. The locations benefitting from this activity are in Detroit, Flint, and Romulus, Mich., Toledo, Ohio, and Bedford, Ind.

The resurgence of the General Motors brand is not only good for the automotive industry, it’s also an indicator of the overall health of the American manufacturing industry. With additional production taking place on the GM assembly lines, other companies and industries stand to benefit from related demands as well.

For example, manufacturers who build automation and conveying equipment might see increasing orders from expanding factories that need to cope with rising production requirements. Similarly, flexible packaging manufacturers can also see an up-tick from producers who need additional protective film and bags to ship products across the country and overseas. Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) packaging in particular can be very useful in protecting automotive components from damaging corrosion during warehousing and shipping.

We’re excited to see how the U.S. manufacturing landscape will continue to develop and grow in 2014. If you need additional plastic film and bags to support increasing production this year, be sure to contact General Plastic Extrusions to request a quote.