JP Cullen’s Decades of Innovation with General Motors

Beginning in 1919, JP Cullen was awarded the original build for the Samson Tractor Company in Janesville, Wisconsin, the predecessor of General Motors. Over the next 90 years, JP Cullen was involved in every major expansion, remodeling 3 million square feet of the plant.

“JP Cullen would first assess our production needs to determine construction methods and phasing so that our operations were not disrupted. Most of JP Cullen’s facilities management group came from production facilities; they know the value of minimizing downtime and are always conscious of our needs.”
— Former GM Plant Manager

Key Milestones

1919: Original construction of the plant for General Motors’ predecessor, the Samson Tractor Company.

1956: Alteration and addition to the Chevrolet Motors Division.

1967-1988: Multiple projects for General Motors, including:

• CK Truck Alterations and Additions (1967)
• J-Car Alterations and Additions (1981)
• Medium Duty Alterations and Additions (1987)
• New Wastewater Treatment (1988)

1990: General Motors had the revolutionary idea for a space that would allow customers to see exactly how the vehicles they were buying were being made. JP Cullen was brought on to create the Product Review Conference Center, which allowed customers to see how their trucks were built and observe the finished product roll off the assembly line.

2000: $32 million in capital and maintenance projects over 13 years, assisting with planning, designing, budgeting, capital appropriation, procurement, and construction.

2001: Conversion of the plant for the new GMT 800, spanning over four years and over 1 million square feet, valued at over $71 million. This included building additions, raising the roof of the existing building, conveyor penthouse, and conveyor and equipment installations.

2005: An $11 million, 100,000 square foot project that included the installation of new body shop robots, tools, and fixtures of the GMT 900 SUV productions. The work was separated into four production shutdown times: Thanksgiving 2004, Christmas 2004, April 2005, and July 2005.

2006: A $26 million, 10-week GMT 900 model change, a complete conversion of the assembly line to build the new model, spanning 1.2 million square feet.

Throughout JP Cullen’s partnership with General Motors, countless other projects were performed, from maintenance to other expansions and modifications. This history showcases JP Cullen’s extensive experience and commitment to supporting General Motors through decades of growth and innovation.