GM’s Factory ZERO Comes to the Aid of the Corvette Assembly Plant After Tornado Strike

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GM's Factory ZERO Comes to the Aid of the Corvette Assembly Plant After Tornado Strike

Photo Credit: Keith Cornett


Recovering from a natural disaster like last week’s deadly storms in Kentucky takes a team effort.

That’s evident at General Motors, which has already quickly started bouncing back in the aftermath of Saturday’s tornado that damaged the Bowling Green Assembly Plant where the popular C8 Corvette is produced.

According to a story in the Detroit Free Press, GM has moved materials and resources from other GM locations to Bowling Green, including construction cranes from Spring Hill Assembly in Spring Hill, Tennessee, and materials from Factory ZERO in Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan, where GM just finished retooling for all-electric vehicles like the 2022 GMC Hummer EV pickup already in production.

“It’s all still coming together,” UAW Local 22 President Wiley Turnage, who leads the union at Factory ZERO, said of the rebuilding effort at the Corvette plant, which shut down production beginning Dec. 13.

More information about the recovery comes from another union worker – Jason Watson, shop chairman for UAW Local 2164 that represents hourly workers at Bowling Green Assembly.

“GM is doing construction at Factory ZERO and Spring Hill, (and) we’re obviously in need of building materials here,” Watson explained to the Detroit paper. “Trying to find building supplies, especially now in this area, will not be very fruitful.”

Damaged Roof at the Corvette Assembly Plant

The hole in the roof of the Corvette Assembly Plant. Photo Credit: Billy Joe Steen


Watson says GM must first repair the exterior damage before assessing any interior damage to the plant, where the roof caught fire and the employee entrance was damaged by the storm.

“There’s all kinds of visible damage throughout the building and structural things,” Watson said. “The building itself is what they’re trying to concentrate on because there are multiple areas of the roof that were compromised and various siding surrounding the plant. They can’t determine yet if there’s damage to equipment or line, they’re not turning it on yet.”

The outcome could have been much worse, however. About 400 workers had already finished the second shift late Friday and headed home, with only about 20 or 30 still remaining inside the facility when alarms there sounded.

“Thankfully all the systems in the plant worked,” Watson told the Free Press. “The take-shelter alerts that are broadcast … people took cover and once the all-clear sounded they were permitted to go home. None of them said they were scared, because they couldn’t tell what was going on. When you’re in the basement, a bomb could go off and you wouldn’t hear it.”

Despite the damage going on above them, Watson understands no factory worker was injured in the storm, though he has heard some of the workers’ homes have been damaged.

“Our union hall has spearheaded all of those efforts to determine who may need help or what kind of help may be needed,” he said.

Corvette Assembly Plant


Already, GM is also reaching out to help others in the community, donating $1 million to the American Red Cross to help in the aftermath of the tornadoes that hit Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee last weekend. That’s on top of the half-million dollars GM gives each year to the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, as well as another $500,000 grant to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, which organizes resources for long-term recovery after disasters.

“Through GM Cares, our internal employee giving platform, employees are able to contribute to relief efforts in Kentucky, Missouri and other impacted regions,” GM’s Kristen Ackerman said. “We’ve highlighted several organizations in those regions that are actively engaged in relief efforts to help provide shelter, food, critical relief and emotional support to impacted individuals.”

The Free Press says GM plant managers are also working with Bowling Green area organizations on how employees can best help the community.


Source:
Detroit Free Press

Related:
[PIC] Sign for Corvette Assembly Plant Tours Found 30 Miles Away
[VIDEO] Corvette Assembly Plant Catches Fire After EF-2 Tornado Strikes Bowling Green Overnight
Update on the Storm Damage to the Corvette Assembly Plant

 



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1 COMMENT

  1. Some are getting out or they were already out. Today 12-14 I saw a car loader full of Corvettes after just dropping one off at John Watson Chevrolet in Ogden, Utah.

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