6.6L Duramax Diesel engine being placed in chassis at engine set for GM’s Heavy Duty pickups. General Motors Flint Assembly/UAW Local 598 in Flint, Michigan. (Photo: General Motors)
6.6L Duramax Diesel engine being placed in chassis at engine set for GM’s Heavy Duty pickups. General Motors Flint Assembly/UAW Local 598 in Flint, Michigan. (Photo: General Motors)

General Motors rolled its 2 millionth Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel engine off of the line today at its DMAX, Ltd. plant.

The DMAX plant opened in 1998, with the first engine rolling off the line July 17, 2000. The plant produces the Duramax diesel engines for heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks, and Duramax engines also power some Navistar commercial trucks, Gale Banks vehicles and marine applications.

The plant currently employs 554 I.U.E.-CWA Local 755 hourly workers and 114 salaried employees for a total of 668. In 2014, $60 million dollars were invested for emissions improvements, and in 2015 and $82 million investment was made for productivity improvements.

Employees are currently building the redesigned Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel that we recently tested in the GMC Sierra.

“Over the past 17 years, DMAX has produced 2 million award-winning heavy-duty diesel engines,” GM Plant Manager Pat Curtis said. “This is not only a significant milestone, but truly speaks to the dedication of our team.

2017 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD assembled at General Motors Flint Assembly/UAW Local 598 in Flint, Michigan. (Photo: General Motors)
2017 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD assembled at General Motors Flint Assembly/UAW Local 598 in Flint, Michigan. (Photo: General Motors)

“We consider ourselves to be a big part of the community in which we live and work,” Curtis said. “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 the West Carrollton HS–FIRST Robotics Club.”

“This is a testament to the dedication of our workforce to continue to produce a great product,” President IUE-CWA Local 755 Carl Kennebrew said. “We have a culture here at DMAX that is based off of teamwork and a family environment. Everyone is dedicated to the vision of our company. I’m so proud of our members and their continued drive to be successful!”

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