Greater Arlington Chamber Of Commerce

General Motors unveiled its brand new, completely redesigned Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe this past Tuesday, December 10, at the GM Arlington Assembly Plant. The suburban celebrates its 85^th anniversary this year and serves as an icon for the Chevy brand as the longest-running nameplate in General Motors history.

This unveiling was paramount to General Motors and their success as the industry leader of the full-size SUV. GM made sure this event was more than an unveiling of the most innovative family SUV on the road; this was a celebration of the people that work 24 hours a day six days a week (sometimes seven) to build the Suburban and run GM’s largest assembly plant. Producing one vehicle per minute, Plant Executive Director Bill Kulhanek thanked UAW 276 for their hard work and dedication. Kulhanek than asked four UAW members who had worked at the Arlington Assembly Plant for 50+ years to come to the front. Arthur Bracamonte, Bruce Dietzel, Ronald Holcomb and Charles Edwards pressed the buttons to unveil the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban.

What is truly unique about this specific facility is that it is the only General Motors facility in the world that produces full-size SUVs. When you watch a movie with a Chevy Suburban, it was built right here in Arlington. When you see international diplomats being transported in a Cadillac Escalade, it was built right here in Arlington. 

GM also took a moment to thank the City of Arlington for their unwavering support and how they’ve partnered with the City to drive economic development since the plant’s inception in 1954. Last year, General Motors announced a $5 billion investment in US production of new, full-size pickups and SUVs. As part of this investment, the GM Arlington Assembly plant is expanding 1.6 million-square-feet. The expansion will support the production of the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban while bringing the GM Arlington Assembly plant’s floorplan to 5.75 million square feet. In 2017, General Motors also put together a separate plan to create a supplier park behind the Arlington Assembly plant. The supplier park brings more jobs to Arlington and cuts back on environmental impact.

HISTORY: When tasked with making Arlington the home of the new General Motors assembly plant, the City built a lake as a water source. Arlington’s General Motors assembly plant opened in 1954, becoming the first automotive assembly plant in Texas. For more than fifty years, General Motors has been the City’s largest private employer. Today, the Arlington assembly plant employs approximately 4,800 people. While the GM Arlington plant has developed throughout the years, it is still growing.