GM TO MAKE NEXT GENERATION FULL-SIZE PICKUPS IN FLINT, MICHIGAN

By Automotive News - General Motors Co. said today it will invest $328 million in its Flint, Michigan assembly plant to make the next generation full-size pickup trucks.

In a statement, the automaker said as part of the investment it will create or retain 150 jobs at the plant, which opened in 1947 and employs about 2,050 people.

GM is expected to roll out the next version of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups in early 2013.

The investment is part of a plan announced by GM in May to invest $2 billion in 17 U.S. plants.

GM has been criticized by analysts for its 122 days of full-size pickup truck inventory in the United States at the end of June. That ws 50 percent higher than the 80 days typically preferred and above the industry's still-hefty average of 99 days. GM has said it will reduce its big pickup inventory to a range of 100 to 110 days by year end.

U.S. sales through June of the Silverado and Sierra were up 3 percent and 1 percent, respectively. The Silverado is the No. 2 selling vehicle in the U.S. market behind Ford Motor Co.'s F-150 pickup.

GM said last month it would close the Flint plant for two weeks in July to conduct maintenance work and prepare for a change to 2012 model-year production.

In January, GM announced plans to add a third shift of 750 workers at the Flint plant in the third quarter to build heavy-duty versions of the big pickups.