Hundreds of GM positions coming to Marion

MARION, Ind., (WANE) --- - There's good news for the GM plant in Marion. More than 300 positions will be added to the Marion Metal Center by this summer. The jobs are coming from Mansfield, Ohio, and Grand Rapids, Michigan; both cities where GM plants have closed.

"We're just kind of humbled by the whole situation. We're grateful GM chose to stay here in Marion," said Marion Mayor Sebold.

Sebold is thrilled GM is not only staying in Marion, but growing. Monday, GM officials announced $364 million dollars will be invested into the facility.

The money will go toward buying new equipment and updating older pieces.

The new positions will be added in three phases. The first included more than a hundred employees from Michigan who have already been put to work. A second phase of workers from Ohio is expected in November.

GM says hourly and salaried employment at the Marion plant now stands at 1,106. By this summer, the total will rise to about 1,300.

"We'll take all the work we can get. That's just kind of the name of the game these days, you know, it's survival," David Walker, UAW Local 977 President told NewsChannel 15.

Convoys carrying large presses from Michigan began traveling down I-69 to the plant last month.

The gigantic pieces will mean added volume for the plant, which stamps and assembles sheet metal components for GM cars, trucks and SUV's.

Sebold looks forward to how that growth, will help grow the local economy.

"We just keep working to bring in more than we lose at the end of the day, and this is a really a big win," he said.