GM Adding Models, Plants and Employees in China

General MotorsGMUnited States of America, 1998 > present8 models
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detailed its future plans for China during the Shanghai Motor Show. The company anticipates 7%-8% growth in the Chinese market this year after a record 19.4 million total cars sold there last year. GM has set a three-stage plan for improving even more in China, which involves adding more products, more factories and increasing Chinese employment. 

“With the support of our great partners and by focusing on our products, plants and people, GM looks forward to remaining a leader in China,” said Bob Socia, Head of GM's Asian operations.

GM will add 17 new and upgraded cars to China this year, which includes models from its joint ventures and OpelOpelGermany, 1863 > present85 models
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. Many of the new introductions will be luxury cars, which are no longer considered niche segments in China. GM is bringing the entire CadillacCadillacUnited States of America, 1902 > present79 models
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lineup to China with one car per year through 2016. It already has the XTSCadillac XTSUnited States of America, 2012 > present3 photos
and SRXCadillac SRX Gen.2United States of America, 2010 > present15 versions
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available there. It is also going to begin selling its Chinese-produced cars outside of China. 

To build all the new cars, GM will also have to add or upgrade factories. It says that most of its Chinese factories are already running at maximum capacity. It added two new factories in 2012 and plans to open four more by 2015. It will increase GM's total Chinese manufacturing capacity to 5 million units, a 30% improvement. And it will add 6,000 new manufacturing jobs. 

GM also has to sell the new cars that it is building, and it is planning on adding 400 dealers in 2013 and plans to have roughly 1,000 more dealers by 2015. These will also add thousands of more employees.