
· 500,000 Duramax turbo-diesel engines
produced since start of production on September 9, 2011.
· All engines produced were fitted to
Chevrolet Colorados and Trailblazers assembled in GM’s facility in Thailand.
· Over 20 percent of Duramax engines produced at GM
Powertrain Thailand were exported to international market last year.
Rayong, Thailand - GM Powertrain Thailand, General Motors' (GM) first
diesel engine plant in Thailand and Southeast Asia, recently achieved its
500,000th production milestone since production officially started
in 2011. It is the first GM facility in the world to produce the four-cylinder
Duramax turbo-diesel engine.
Speaking to employees
during the milestone celebration, Hector Villarreal, President of GM Southeast Asia,
said “The
Duramax engines serve as the heart of our award-winning Colorado and
Trailblazer. They are one of the most important components that we manufacture
in Rayong for both domestic
and export markets. Reaching half a million engines is not only an important
milestone for the GPS team but also for everyone at GM Thailand. You should all
be rightly proud of achieving this together.
Both
the 2.5L ands 2.8L Duramax engines currently used in the Chevrolet Colorado and
Trailblazer are two of the most advanced diesel powertrains in the market. The
2.5L engine features a fixed-geometry turbocharger, while the 2.8L engine
features a variable-geometry turbocharger. Both have aluminum cylinder head,
integrated oil cooler, high-pressure common-rail fuel delivery system for
increased output, performance, fuel efficiency and durability. They also
feature an EGR cooler for emissions compliance, capable of up to Euro-5
ratings, plus a balancer shaft and laminated lower oil pan for lower NVH
(Noise, Vibration and Harshness) during operation.
Amnat Saengjan, Vice
President of Manufacturing, GM Thailand said
during the celebration,
“GM Powertrain Thailand is
the only GM facility that fully manufactures the 2.8L Duramax diesel engine.
Our exports represented over 20 percent of total production, 80,000 engines of
the four-cylinder diesel 2.5L and 2.8L Duramax engines in 2018. Today, we celebrate not only the successful
production of the 500,000th Duramax engine by GM Powertrain
Thailand, but the teamwork from all of you that has made this possible.”
“I am very proud of our team members who
have taken a key role in helping us achieve this milestone, thanks not only to
every team member’s hard work and dedication, but also to the growing
popularity of the products that use the Duramax engine, the Chevrolet Colorado
and Trailblazer. It shows how far we have come.”
“We are a
world-class facility, we need to keep the momentum by staying together as a
team and making quality the number-one principle in everything we do today and
in the future.”
Further, GM Thailand’s Rayong facility was
recognized for its outstanding efforts in environment conservation at the Prime
Minister’s Industry Awards of 2018. It was one of two automotive companies who
receive this award. The facility is part of GM’s 142 manufacturing and
non-manufacturing landfill-free facilities globally.
GM Powertrain Thailand continues to
play a key part of GM Thailand's successful growth strategy in the region. GM Powertrain Thailand is also recognized
the Best Safety Culture Award of GM’s manufacturing facility globally in 2018.
To learn more
about the Chevrolet products and services in the Philippines, log on to www.chevrolet.com.ph, like the Chevrolet
Philippines Facebook page, or follow the Chevrolet
Philippines Instagram page.
# # #
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