GM Arlington Assembly Celebrates 70th Anniversary and its 13 Millionth Vehicle

ARLINGTON, Texas — This week, Arlington Assembly’s team members are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the plant and assembling its 13 millionth vehicle. The milestone vehicle is a 2024 Cadillac Escalade-V powered by a 682-horsepower supercharged V8 engine.

Arlington Assembly is the exclusive assembly site for GM’s full-size gas and diesel-powered SUVs, which have dominated the full-size SUV segment for nearly 50 years. The site employs over 5,400 people and has employed thousands more since 1954.

“Milestones like these are met only through the dedication, determination and skill of our employees,” said John Urbanic, plant executive director. “We can’t thank our employees enough for what they do every day. We build each vehicle as if it were our own and value every customer.”

Employees will have an opportunity to take their photo with the 13 millionth vehicle, receive a commemorative shirt and challenge coin, and enjoy refreshments during the celebration.

Arlington Assembly has produced many iconic vehicles over its 70-year history, including the Pontiac Chieftain, Chevrolet Bel Air, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac Brougham, and Buick Regal. The plant converted to truck production in 1997, and a stamping facility that produces all the major exterior and mating interior panels was added to the site in 2012. In 2019, the plant produced its 12 millionth vehicle.

The plant has undergone numerous investments over the years, totaling $1.9 billion since 2014. A thoroughly modernized body shop, equipped with 1,450 robotic welders, was initiated in 2020.

GM employs over 9,000 in the state and generated nearly $1.2 billion in taxable wages in 2023. Additionally, GM works with 550 suppliers and has over 300 dealers in Texas.

“This plant is an integral part of Arlington’s history and its economy, both for the thousands of good-paying jobs created for our residents over the decades and our community’s great pride in the world-class vehicles that roll off the assembly line each day right here in The American Dream City,” said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross. “The long-standing partnership between the City of Arlington and General Motors is a testament that we are truly better together. We can’t wait to see what the future brings.”

Arlington Assembly facts:

• Over 5,400 employees
• The assembly team works three shifts, six days a week to keep up with demand
• Over 1,350 vehicles produced per day
• Six million total square feet, one of GM’s largest assembly plants
• Site is on 250 acres
• Over 20 miles of conveyors
• Exports vehicles to over 30 countries
• Set a monthly production record of over 34,000 vehicles in March of 2023
• 2023 Arlington Assembly state economic impact: $523M in wages

ABOUT GM ARLINGTON ASSEMBLY PLANT

Arlington Assembly assembles the full-size gas- and diesel-powered Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade SUVs. The first vehicle was assembled at the plant in January 1954. To keep up with consumer demand, Arlington Assembly’s production line currently runs 24 hours a day, six days a week, producing one vehicle almost every 60 seconds. The plant has produced over 13 million vehicles since 1954. More: Arlington Assembly | Texas | General Motors (gm.com) Cadillac Escalade-V