Automaker unveils facility that's easier on environment

The new shop is expected to reach full production late next year.
LORDSTOWN -- General Motors on Friday showed off its new $162 million state-of-the-art paint shop, a 560,000-square-foot facility the company says will reduce pollution and increase quality.
The Lordstown GM Assembly Plant started production of its new Chevrolet Cobalt in late October. It will benefit from the latest technology from the new paint shop.
The new shop, which has four floors, is one of three ultra-modern GM paint shops now under construction, officials said.
Maureen Midgley, Lordstown GM complex manager, noted Friday that the paint shop in the old building is outdated.
"The technologies that are going to be used here are environmentally friendly and will provide a superior paint job," Midgley said.
She explained that a powder prime process, which essentially makes a powder perform like a liquid, will significantly reduce volatile organic compounds, or vocs, which produce pollution.
It is expected to decrease plant emissions by approximately one third.
Midgley added, "We also have a water-borne base coat, which also has less impact on the environment. In addition, it gives that wet look that people really love."
Other features
Glen Santelices, Lordstown paint manufacturing engineer, explained other features of the new paint shop. They include installation of drying ovens on the floor above where 90 percent of the operation takes place. This, he said, will keep heat from the ovens from the main working area and keep the area comfortable for employees.
In addition, the Lordstown plant is the first GM facility to do a color specific priming, rather than a color prime of only a dark gray, which has been standard in painting cars.
Santelices said that an open house will be May 1 for the public to get a closer look at the paint shop, then a deep cleaning of the facility will take place to get all of the construction dirt out of the building.
Full production in the paint shop will get under way in late 2005.
Santelices said the paint shop will have a clean building policy. It has an air shower, which everyone must pass through. All employees will be required to wear coveralls to keep the paint shop as clean as possible.
"Any dirt that comes in with people can possibly land on our vehicles and affect our quality," he said. "We're trying to protect our customers."
Santelices said final manpower numbers are still being worked out.
Good impression
Jim Kaster, president of UAW Local 1714, said he is very impressed with the new facility.
"This is one of the best in the world and we're going to be able to produce world-class cars right here -- the Cobalt already is -- but this really steps it up," Kaster said.
He added a lot of people made the state-of-the-art paint shop a reality.
"The Chamber of Commerce, the community got behind this, the local politicians and most of all the employees proved that we really wanted to do this."