Automotive World - Mexico: GM builds first Chevrolet Aveo at new San Luis Potosi plant

Mexico: GM builds first Chevrolet Aveo at new San Luis Potosi plant

By: Glenn Brooks, Friday, August 08, 2008, AutomotiveWorld.com

General Motors de Mexico has announced the official start of operations at its US$1bn San Luis Potosi complex, which has begun building Chevrolet-based but Daewoo-derived small cars for markets in the Americas.

GM is particularly keen to emphasise the new facility's environmental credentials, with Troy Clarke, its president for North America stating that the plant discharges no water - instead 90% of the liquid it uses is recycled, and the remainder is said to evaporate. Further, all lights are activated by motion and so switch themselves off automatically when no activity is detected.

The new plant has been constructed on a 346 hectare plot, while the factory itself occupies 154,000 square metres. GM says some 2,500 workers are based at the site, while a claimed further 17,500 jobs have been created as a result of the new complex.

"The new plant is designed to have a combined capacity of 30 units per hour, with cars destined for the local market and export," Kevin Williams, the president of General Motors de Mexico is quoted as saying in an issued statement.

Published on Friday, August 08, 2008