GM to upgrade Poletown body shop

GM breaks ground on a $250 million, 277,000-sq.-ft. (25,700-sq.-m) expansion of the body shop at the Detroit/Hamtramck Cadillac plant that officials say will allow the company to perform rolling changeovers and respond faster to market fluctuations. The new, more flexible body shop - expected to be up and running by the fall of 1996 - will enable Detroit/Hamtramck to build four models instead of the current three, and up to two or three different platforms. Officials are mum on product plans, but indications are that another model, possibly the next-generation Buick Park Avenue, may be brought into what's now a Cadillac-exclusive plant to fuliy utilize capacity. "In the future, with the new body shop, we'll have the opportunity to build another model and get closer to capacity and increase employment," says Herb Stone, plant manager. Currently, the facility employs 4,300 and is running about 20% below capacity. The plant can't build rear-drive light trucks, however, so there's little chance it would produce a sport/utility vehicle for Cadillac if it decides to join other luxury producers in developing an SUV. GM announced last December it would install an agile/flexible body shop at its Orion Township, MI, plant. That also is expected to be completed in the fall of 1996.