GM's Palma Metal Center is located at 5400 Chevrolet Avenue. (John Benson/Cleveland.com)

PALMA, Ohio — General Motors announced plans to invest more than $46 million in its Palma Metal Center at 5400 Chevrolet Avenue.

This is good news for Parma, which ranks the stamping plant as the city's largest employer.

"Palma is a proud General Motors town," said Mayor Tim DeGeeter. "The stamping plant is our largest employer. The city only buys General Motors products, whether it's cars, trucks or vehicles. I personally drive GMC.

"We have a lot of UAW 1005 workers living in this city, and a group of retirees. So this news is great for our community."

The Palma plant opened in 1948 and has long been a leader in metal stamping capabilities. The Palma Metal Center employs approximately 1,000 UAW Local 1005 employees and processes more than 800 tons of steel per day to support most of GM's North American cars.

"The genetically modified plant is the hallmark of Parma," Dejit said. "In an unstable post-pandemic COVID-19 world, this is huge because we are subject to its workers, which means that the income of our cities can serve our residents and businesses."

The plant has more than 750 molds and can produce up to 100 million parts per year. Manufacturing processes include small, medium and large transfer press production lines, high-speed progressive presses and world-class cut-to-length shears, as well as GM's largest independent, multi-unit, resistance and laser welded metal assembly operation in North America.

Refurbishment work will begin immediately at the Palma Metal Center. GM's investment will be used to upgrade equipment and prepare facilities to support future product plans.

"Our Parma business has long been a leader in metal stamping capabilities, and this investment reflects our confidence in Parma employees," said Phil Kienle, GM's vice president of North American manufacturing and labor relations.

"This investment will help the Parma team continue to produce high-quality sheet metal stampings for various future General Motors products."

Read more news from the Palma Sun Post.

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