It is not so common to have a diesel engine built in the US, a market that loves gasoline engines. Even so, General Motors and its DMAX factory workers, 755 employees in total, celebrated the build of the 2 millionth Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel engine.
DMAX makes the Duramax diesel engines for heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks. Duramax engines also power some Navistar commercial trucks, Gale Banks vehicles and even marine applications.
DMAX, Ltd. has grown its employment in the past few years and currently employs 554 I.U.E.-CWA Local 755 hourly and 114 salaried employees for a total of 668.
Employees are currently building the redesigned Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel. This next-generation engine offers more horsepower and torque than ever — an SAE-certified 445 horsepower at 2,800 rpm and 910 lb-ft of torque (1,234 Nm) at 1,600 rpm.
Along with a 19 percent increase in max torque over the last Duramax 6.6L, the redesigned turbo-diesel’s performance is quieter and smoother, for greater refinement. It is also capable of running on B20 biodiesel, a fuel composed of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent conventional diesel.
DMAX, Ltd. was established in 1998. GM owns 60 percent and Isuzu owns 40 percent of the joint venture.
