LaShannon Oldham (left) and Thu Dang install head covers at the Dmax plant in Dayton, Ohio.
General Motors said today that Dmax would invest $60 million to make design changes to meet future emissions requirements at a Moraine Ohio engine plant. The investment – in the depressing language of the jobless auto recovery – retains 500 jobs at what is a joint venture between General Motors and Isuzu. DMAX has produced 1.6 million engines since opening in 2000. GM owns 60% and Isuzu owns 40% of the venture that makes the Duramax diesel for heavy-duty trucks.
“This investment represents a vote of confidence in our employees and IUE-CWA Local 755, who have consistently demonstrated their commitment and dedication to building the best diesel engine possible,” says Christine Sitek of GM.
DMAX makes the Duramax 6.6-liter turbo diesel engine used in the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. The current Duramax is SAE certified at 397 horsepower (296 kW) at 3,000 rpm and 765 lb.-ft. of torque (1,037 Nm) at 1600 rpm. All Duramax engines include a high-pressure (30,000 psi/2,000 bar) Piezo-actuated fuel system for greater fuel efficiency, improved performance and reduced emissions. The Duramax is also available in the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans.
“The successful partnership between GM, Isuzu and IUE-CWA Local 755 continues to bring new investment dollars to our plant,” said Maho Mitsuya, Dmax president and chief operating officer. “The Duramax diesel’s performance is renowned in the industry, and these updates to improve our emissions will make it that much better.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
