Plant partly owned by GM makes 2 millionth engine
The last connection to the General Motors era that helped the Dayton area grow for at least five decades rolled its 2 millionth turbo-diesel engine off the assembly line.
Moraine-based Dmax, the last plant in the Miami Valley that is at least partly owned by GM, passed the milestone nearly 17 years after its first engine rolled off the line in July 2000.
In that time, the company has weathered GM’s bankruptcy, the Great Recession and fuel-price fluctuations that saw diesel prices at one time reach nearly $5 a gallon. The company said plant employees have helped Dmax build a reputation for impressive power and durability.
“When we started this project, who would have expected we would achieve 2 million engines? I do recognize that although we made 2 million engines, it could not be achieved without the support of all employees,” said Shinichi Suzuki, president and CEO of Dmax. “The most important thing is not that the engines have been manufactured, but that they have been sold by the effort of the entire team.”
Dmax has increased its staff in the past few years and employs 668: 554 hourly unionized workers and 114 salaried employees.
Employees are building the redesigned Duramax 6.6- liter V- 8 turbo- diesel engine. This next- generation engine offers more horsepower and torque, the company says.
“The Duramax diesel has powered GM’s heavy-duty pickups to numerous quality, reliability, durability and truck of the year awards,” said Cathy Clegg, vice president of GM North America manufacturing and labor relations.
The redesigned engine, which has a 19 percent increase in max torque compared to the last Duramax 6.6- liter engine, is made to be quieter and smoother. It is also able to run on B20 bio- diesel, a fuel made up of biodiesel and conventional diesel — lowering the carbon dioxide emitted by the truck and lessening the trucking industry’s dependence on petroleum.
That renewable fuel is produced in the U.S. and is made primarily of plant matter such as soybean oil.
The engine production isn’t the only positive growth coming out of the plant. The plant also received $ 82 million in investments for productivity improvements in 2015, and $ 60 million in investments for emissions improvements in 2014. General Motors is 60 percent owner of the plant; Japanese truck maker Isuzu also has a stake.
Officials say the investment in the plant also reflects Dmax’s investment in the community.
“We consider ourselves to be a big part of the community in which we live and work,” said Pat Curtis, GM plant manager. “We have invested both dollars and volunteerism into several local organizations, specifically the Moraine Foundation, which channels all local charitable activities and the promotion of STEM-related opportunities” through a robotics club at West Carrollton High School.