GM Foundation Donates $75,000 to 11 Area Organizations through Plant City Grants Program

The GM Foundation today donated $75,000 to 11 nonprofit organizations in the Bowling Green area, making this the fifth consecutive year the foundation’s Plant City Grants are being awarded in the home of the iconic Chevrolet Corvette.  In the last five years, GM Foundation donations in the region totaled $325,000, including Plant City Grants and a fully-funded Habitat for Humanity project in 2014.

“General Motors is committed to supporting the communities that our employees call home,” said GM Foundation Vice President Lori Wingerter. “This year, the GM Foundation plans to provide $2 million in funding to hundreds of organizations across the country that provide critical resources that families and neighborhoods rely on every day.”

The grants were announced and presented at the Boys & Girls Club of Bowling Green, where 24 GM employees spent their day volunteering to clean and organize the facility, room by room. In fact, a total of 80 GM employees from sites across the U.S. converged in Bowling Green this week to provide ride and drive opportunities and community service work as part of GM’s Outreach Program. In addition to the Boys & Girls Club, service projects included work at St. Vincent DePaul, New Beginnings Therapeutic Riding, the International Center of KY and KY Legal Aid.

The 2015 Bowling Green grant funds will support the following organizations and community programs: 

Barren River Area Safe Space, Inc. – The grant will be used for emergency assistance, resources and programs for regional domestic violence and homeless shelter residents.

Boys & Girls Club of Bowling Green – The donation will support reading programs to help ensure all Club members are on track to graduate from high school and are ready for college, trade school, the military or employment.

·         The Friends of the Lost River, Inc. – Funds will be used to purchase a compact dump trailer to improve efficiency and sustainability, as well as tandem kayaks, allowing two people to travel in one kayak. These tandem kayaks will make the cave’s kayaking program safer for minors and those with impairments.

·         Public Theatre of Kentucky – Funds will be used for the Sunburst Youth Theatre educational programming, including day camps where children ages 7-12 build their own props, do scenic painting, sound, lighting, costuming and acting, monologue workshops for 13-18 year-olds and other productions.

·         United Way of Southern Kentucky – Funding will be used to provide help in the areas of education, income and health & safety net for Warren County residents. It is clear that these issues are fundamentally connected; when one area is impacted, others may be impacted indirectly.

·         Family Enrichment Center – The grant will be used to provide more full-time childcare services to children whose families put them at risk.

·         African American Museum – Funds will be used to purchase electronic equipment and software that will enable audio/video, interactive and multimedia displays, along with other display essentials including stanchions, fiberboard display panels, mannequins, pedestals, stands and easels.

·         Bowling Green Alliance for Mentally Ill – The grant will be used to train two PTSD dogs and two veterans through the PETS-4-VETS (Providing Effective Therapy through Service Dogs) program, providing recovery support for veterans and their families.

·         CASA – Funds will be used to train 20 new volunteers, enabling them to serve 20 new families including approximately 30 or more dependent, neglected, abused and sexually abused children.

·         Center for Courageous Kids – The grant will support the Summer Camp Program for Critically Ill Children. The program is a traditional overnight camping experience held during 9, one-week sessions, where children meet other children living with the same condition and learn self-care skills while engaging in activities such as horseback riding, swimming, bowling, theatre, woodshop, boating, fishing and archery.

·         Recovery Kentucky Foundation, Inc. – Funds will be used to support their computer labs in western Kentucky recovery centers. These computers, printers and IT support services help residents complete their GED as well as develop skills related to job applications, resume writing and information technology.

“Through the GM Foundation Plant City Grants, these vital community organizations will be able to fund critical programs that help so many local families,” said Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Assistant Plant Manager Nora Roper. “We couldn’t be happier to support these local organizations.”

GM Corvette Assembly Plant Announces New Plant Manager

Kai Spande

General Motors announced today the new Plant Manager for their Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Kai Spande, Director of European Powertrain Test Facilities, Engineering Operations and Quality will take the helm, reporting to Arvin Jones, Manufacturing Manager, North American Manufacturing, General Motors. Kai replaces Jeffrey Lamarche who was promoted to the position of Plant Manager Flint Assembly and Stamping. The organizational change is effective September 1st.

Kai has been instrumental in accelerating the implementation of GMS in the European Laps and PPO operations, and in leading a 250M Euro upgrade of the Powertrain test facilities in Turino, Italy, Ruesselsheim, Germany, and at the Dudenhoffe Proving Grounds in Germany, according to an email from GM. He has also been a key contributor and valued member of the European Powertrain Engineering staff. Kai's replacement will be named at a later date.

Congratulations and welcome to Kai! We look forward to having you be a part of Team Corvette and the Bowling Green community!

Chevrolet Corvette Plant Gets $439 Million in Upgrades

New, environment-friendly paint shop drives efficient production, retains 150 jobs

North American Manufacturing Manager Arvin Jones

Torch Red, Shark Gray Metallic and Laguna Blue Tintcoat, three popular palate choices on the 2015 Corvette, kept the marketers who make up names working late. Now they can dream about more painstakingly precise pigments, thanks to a new paint shop that is among $439 million being invested at the only plant in the world that builds Chevrolet’s iconic sports car.

General Motors announced the moves today that include retaining 150 jobs and building the 450,000 square-foot paint shop that is almost half the size of the entire current production facility. The investment builds on approximately $135 million GM has invested in the plant over the last four years for the new Corvette Stingray and Performance Build Center. The announcement was followed by a groundbreaking event for the new paint shop.

 “The Corvette is one of Kentucky’s most-cherished icons,” said. Lt. Gov. Crit Luallen. “Such a significant expansion of the Bowling Green Assembly Plant will help the company remain competitive in the region and around the world.”

Construction of the new paint shop, which includes substantial technology upgrades, is planned to begin this summer and take approximately two years to complete. Corvette production schedules will be unaffected by the construction.

Along with new tooling and robots, the paint shop’s state-of-the-art environmental and efficiency enhancements include:

• Dry Scrubber Booth Technology with Limestone Handling System designed to eliminate sludge water and waste
• Light-emitting diode, or LED, lighting for process decks for improved visual inspection as well as energy savings
• State-of-the-art FANUC robots with Versa-bell 3 electrostatic applicators for an extremely smooth finish and maximum transfer efficiency, saving 25 percent of the paint material used, which also benefits the environment
• Longer, high-efficiency baking ovens for exceptional paint finish and lower energy use.

“With this major technology investment, we can continue to exceed the expectations of sports car buyers for years to come,” said North American Manufacturing Manager Arvin Jones. “These types of investments are evidence that the customer is at the center of every decision we make.”

Said UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada: “This new paint shop will mirror the efficiencies and technologies of the new body shop, installed with the launch of the Stingray. Hardworking UAW members have proudly built vehicles in Bowling Green for more than 30 years, and we are pleased to be a part of such a significant facility upgrade.”

Corvette production began in 1981 in Bowling Green following assembly in Flint, Mich., and St. Louis. Each has been an exclusive home of the Corvette, contributing to its distinction as the world’s longest-running, continuously produced passenger car. More than 1.6 million have been produced in 62 years.

Since the launch of the all-new 2014 Stingray, the Corvette has won more awards than any other car in the industry, including the 2014 American Car of the Year, Car & Driver’s 10 Best and Automobile Magazine’s Automobile of the Year.

Building on that recognition, Corvette sales reached an eight-year high in 2014 with almost 38,000 cars sold globally. The plant welcomed a record 56,000 tourists last year.

The new Performance Build Center opened last year and in March began hosting customers in the Build Your Own Engine program. More information about Bowling Green Assembly is available at corvetteassembly.com

The investments in Bowling Green are part of the $5.4 billion that GM said April 30 it would invest in U.S. facilities over the next three years. 

First 2015 Corvette Z06s on Way to Customers

Chevrolet is now shipping the all-new 2015 Corvette Z06 coupe from Bowling Green Assembly and some early customers could receive the much-anticipated supercar later this week.

“It has been an incredible opportunity to work on Chevy’s most capable model,” said Jeff Lamarche, plant manager of General Motors’ Bowling Green Assembly plant, “It truly is an amazing car, and we’re thrilled to get them into the hands of our eager customers.”

The new Corvette Z06 offers the most choice for customers in the model’s history. It is the first Z06 to offer an available eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission and, thanks to a stronger aluminum frame, a removable roof panel. In addition, it is the first time since 1963 that the Z06 is available as a convertible – which will arrive in early 2015.

The new LT4 supercharged 6.2L V-8 engine is SAE-certified at 650 horsepower (485 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 650 lb-ft of torque (881 Nm) at 3,600 rpm – making the 2015 Corvette Z06 the most powerful production car ever from General Motors and one of the most powerful production cars available in the United States.

To balance performance and efficiency, the LT4 leverages a trio of advanced technologies – direct injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and continuously variable valve timing –with a new, more efficient supercharger.

The LT4 helps make the Corvette Z06 the most capable car in the brand’s history. The Z06 accelerates from a rest to 60 mph in only 2.95 seconds when equipped with the all-new, available eight-speed automatic transmission – and achieves it in 3.2 seconds with the standard seven-speed manual transmission.

A quarter-mile sprint takes just 10.95 seconds with the eight-speed automatic and 11.2 seconds with the seven-speed manual. With both versions, the Corvette Z06 hits 127 mph at the end of the quarter-mile.

When it comes to braking performance, the Z06 can stop from 60 mph in only 99.6 feet. That’s the best braking performance of any production car GM has ever tested. Additionally, the Corvette Z06 achieves 1.2 g in lateral acceleration compared with the Corvette’s previous best 1.13 g.

All test results were achieved with Z06 coupes fitted with the Z07 Performance package, which adds Brembo carbon ceramic brake rotors and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. The Z07 package also features the most aggressive aerodynamic package available on the Corvette Z06, which delivers the most downforce of any production car GM has ever tested.

The Z06 also offers the industry-first Performance Data Recorder – or PDR – which enables users to record high-definition video, with telemetry overlays, of their driving experiences on and off the track. The racing-derived system is included with the available navigation system.

Pricing for the 2015 Corvette Z06 starts at $78,995 including destination, while the convertible model will start at $83,995.

Editors’ Note: Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price includes destination freight charge but excludes tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment

Plant Tours Resume at Bowling Green Assembly

Personalized Corvette experiences include Museum Delivery

Chevrolet announced today that public plant tours at the Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant will resume on Monday, October 14, giving enthusiasts a personal look at the production of the all-new, seventh-generation sports car.

Additionally, popular customer programs coordinated with the National Corvette Museum, including Museum Delivery, Buyers Tour and the Corvette Photo Album, are available again, offering new owners a variety of ways to personalize their Corvette purchase experience.

The plant tour and customer programs were halted last fall while the plant underwent a $131-million upgrade for production of the 2014 Corvette Stingray.

“We are delighted to invite the public back into our facility, so we can continue our close-knit customer relationships and educate enthusiasts from around the world about the unique Corvette manufacturing process,” said Dave Tatman, plant manager.

Public tours include a one-mile walking tour of the Corvette production line. They are offered Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. CDT. Tours remain $7 per person and reservations are strongly recommended. Tour guidelines and reservations are available at www.corvetteassembly.com. 

GM’s Bowling Green Assembly Plant has been the exclusive home to Corvette production since June 1981 and has offered tours, in a variety of ways, since its opening. The tour program has evolved over more than 30 years, and through a partnership with Western Kentucky University, approximately 30 student interns serve as tour guides.

Chevrolet began shipping the new Corvette Stingray to dealers on Sept. 18. Pricing for the 2014 Corvette Stingray Coupe starts at $51,995 including destination and the Convertible is priced at $56,995 including destination.

Customer experience programs

The popular Museum Delivery, the Buyers Tour and Corvette Photo Album programs enable new Corvette Stingray customers to watch their car travel down the assembly line, take delivery at the museum and receive a leather-bound album documenting the event.

Each program is coordinated by the National Corvette Museum, located across the road from the plant. It opened in 1994 and operates independently as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit foundation.

 “These are truly unique programs and opportunities for customers, because no other manufacturer allows such personal access to the assembly and delivery of their cars,” said Wendell Strode, the museum’s executive director. “They make the magic of Corvette ownership more special with memories that will last a lifetime.”

Museum Delivery: Available as a dealer option, the Museum Delivery program allows customers to take delivery of their Corvette at the museum. Museum schedulers notify customers when their car will be completed and help the customer pick their delivery date. On arrival, customers receive a private tour of the plant. They then take delivery of their new Corvette from the museum showroom, where their car is on display. A personalized demonstration of their Corvette’s features is included.

 

The Museum Delivery option is available under option code R8C and costs $990. The customer must make his or her own travel arrangements to Bowling Green. See corvettemuseum.org for more details.

Buyers Tour: The Corvette Buyers Tour allows customers to watch the assembly of their Corvette at the Bowling Green plant. Museum personnel use a vehicle’s order number to track the build schedule for a customer’s Corvette Stingray and contact him or her when the build date is scheduled. The customer and a guest receive a guided tour of the plant – including viewing areas not included in the general plant tour – often following his or her Corvette from the start of body assembly to the end of the line. Because of scheduling changes that occur day to day at the plant, customers are not guaranteed to see their car’s assembly.

The Corvette Buyers Tour is coordinated through the National Corvette Museum and costs $800. Customers must have a dealer order number from their dealer. See corvettemuseum.org for more details.

Corvette Photo Album: Whether they take delivery of their Corvette Stingray at the museum or at their local dealership, all Corvette customers can purchase a photo album that documents the assembly of their car. The leather-bound album includes more than 20 pages of text and photos devoted to capturing the build process, as well as a letter of authenticity from the National Corvette Museum.

The Corvette photo album is coordinated through the museum. It costs $700 and can be combined with the Buyers Tour for a single-package price of $1,300. See corvettemuseum.org for more details.