GM Korea's Changwon Plant Emerges as Global SUV Hub with 95% Utilization Rate

On the assembly line at the Changwon plant of GM Korea Co., vehicle frames of Trax Crossover models move in a slow but steady pace, rising and lowering automatically to meet workers at just the right height. Nearby, advanced robot arms install tires in one continuous motion while more than 600 industrial robots carry out welding work with perfect consistency.

Cutting-edge technology at the plant in the South Korean industrial city, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, offers a glimpse into the advanced manufacturing system that has turned GM Korea into a global small sport utility vehicle (SUV) hub for General Motors Co. (GM) of the United States.

"The utilization rate is one of the Changwon plant's biggest strengths and a key factor in its competitiveness," Lee Dong-woo, GM Korea's vice president for production, said during a plant tour given to the media Tuesday. "At around 95 percent, it ranks among the highest globally (within GM)."

Opened in 1991, the Changwon plant now produces the Trax Crossover, one of GM's top global models. With an annual capacity of about 280,000 units, it serves as a core export base, particularly for North America. Spanning about 731,000 square meters, the Changwon plant employs roughly 3,500 workers.

Backed by a cumulative investment of about 3 trillion won (US$2.03 billion) between 2020 and 2023, the plant has helped push the production of the Trax Crossover and Trailblazer to top the 2 million-unit mark in cumulative production and continue to drive the company's export growth.

Finished cars are sent to the nearby Masan Gapo New Port, where thousands of Trax Crossover models were lined up in long rows waiting to be shipped. At the port, a vehicle carrier vessel operated by Hyundai Glovis Co., named Captain, was docked Wednesday, waiting for a shipment of vehicles bound for the Port of Benicia in California, which would take roughly 15 days.

"The ship can carry about 4,500 to 4,700 cars," said Son Yong-jun, head of Hyundai Glovis' North American car shipment team. "We can load around 350 vehicles in about two hours, with roughly 60 workers per ship."

The port has expanded alongside GM Korea's export growth. "When Gapo New Port opened in 2015, we faced many challenges," said Cho Heung-jae, head of the port. "GM's strategic cargo allocation became the foundation for our growth."

Since mass production of the Trax Crossover began in 2023, shipments have surged. The port handled about 250,000 vehicles in 2025 and expects a record 300,000 this year, with roughly 90 percent of cargo consisting of automobiles. About 1,000 vehicles arrive at the port daily, with the port supporting some 600 jobs overall.

"The Changwon plant produces top-quality vehicles, and Gapo New Port serves as the logistics hub that efficiently ships tens of thousands of units worldwide," Cho said.