General Motors to invest $174 million in KCK plant

Workers install doors on Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCross vehicles at the General Motors Fairfax Kansas Plant Tuesday, April 20, 2010 in Fairfax, Kansas. GM announced Wednesday, April 21, 2010, a $257 million investment to produce the next generation Chevrolet Malibu at Fairfax and the Detroit Hamtramck Plant. (Photo by Steve Fecht for General Motors) — Workers install doors on Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCross vehicles at the General Motors Fairfax Kansas Plant Tuesday, April 20, 2010 in Fairfax, (Photo by Steve Fecht for General Motors)

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — General Motors officials visited the Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kansas, to celebrate a production milestone and announce new investments to support production of the 2016 Malibu.

They announced Monday the company will invest $174 million in the plant for new equipment and technology for production of the midsize sedan, which will begin later this year.

CEO Mary Barra and GM North America and Global Chevrolet President Alan Batey also celebrated as the company noted production of 500 million vehicles in its history, about 12 million at the Fairfax plant.

Barra says the company plans to build 10 million vehicles this year.

The company surprised Iraqi war veteran Trent Brining with the symbolic key to a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, which will be built later this year at the plant.