For Release: August 13, 2007
ARLINGTON, Texas – GM Arlington Assembly Plant workers coming and going at shift change on Aug. 8 received a thank-you treat and a reminder of their role in making alternative-fuel E85 vehicles.
Hot dogs, pop corn and chilled bottles of water awaited the workers arriving for second shift. And green canvas backpacks with E85 literature inside were given to several hundred workers.
It was fitting that the E85 Days of Summer Tour made a stop in Arlington, Texas, at the only plant that makes FlexFuel models of the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL.
“This is great,” said one worker who identified himself only as Tony from Arlington. “It’s nice to not only get rewarded for working so hard, but to also get more information about the FlexFuel vehicles we help build.”
Ina Kennedy arrived for work in a brightly colored “Live Green, Go Yellow” T-shirt, and said she helps promote E85 ethanol-capable vehicles to her family and friends. “I let my son drive my FlexFuel Tahoe on vacation and when we came back, he bought one.”
Arlington Plant Communications Manager Wendi Sabo tries to keep updated alternative fuel news top of mind in her work
“We put information on the monitors, in the newsletters, and daily email to both hourly and salaried employees and we talk about it in our quarterly all-people meeting,” she said. “I really think they understand what it is because we produce them everyday.”
Sabo also helped extend the message to early arrivers at the nearby Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, where the American League Texas Rangers were hosting the Oakland Athletics.
Several dealers loaned E85-capable SUVs and pickups to a convoy that moved from the plant to the nearby ballpark for a brief display near Chevrolet-sponsored local marketing activities.
Outside the Home Plate entrance, arriving baseball fans could learn about the corn-based fuel while kids could compete to see who could toss the most rubber corn ears into a bushel basket in 10 seconds.
Specially wrapped FlexFuel models of the Chevrolet Tahoe, Silverado and Impala were on display for passersby to inspect.
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