GM announces $1.3B in US plant upgrades.

Ford isn't the only American automaker making a big investment in its manufacturing business. Fresh andfree of its US government loans, General Motors has announced that it will be investing almost $1.3 billion in upgrades for five of its US-based manufacturing plants. The investment will see increased capacity for GM's six-speed transmissions, and will also be used to gear up for a new 10-speed automatic and a new V6 engine.

Of the $1.3 billion, the biggest chunk is earmarked for GM's Flint, MI assembly plant. The facility, which builds the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado, will get $600 million for general upgrades, which will include a new paint shop.

The Romulus, MI powertrain facility will see $493.4 million in investments, with $343.4 going towards production of the new 10-speed auto and $150 million going towards the new V6. Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, which builds the Chevrolet Volt (and its badge-engineered counterparts for Holden, Opel andVauxhall), Malibu, Impala and Cadillac ELR is getting $121 million for a new logistics center.

Outside the state of Michigan, GM's Toledo Transmission Operations will get $30.6 million to increase capacity of six-speed autos, while the Bedford, IN facility will get $22.6 million to produce components for the aforementioned 10-speed auto and $6.6 million for a six-speed gearbox.

All told, GM expects this latest investment to help save or create 1,000 jobs. Meanwhile, the Detroit-based automaker's manufacturing investments for 2013 have reached $2.8 billion, a figure it says has helped save or create 26,500 jobs. Scroll down for the official press release from General Motors.

Source:GeneralMotors.