Earlier this month, GM published two press releases GM’s New Enterprise Data Center Transforms Global IT and GM Begins Construction on Second Global Data Center. GM is determined to focus IT operations to help the company work smarter and faster from the design studio, to the factory, to the showroom floor. The goal is to replace 23 data centers with just two.

General Motors will spend $280 million on building both data centers. At the peak of the project, it is expected there will be 350 skilled trades’ workers on site (mostly from southeast and central Michigan).

The two centers will integrate and streamline all aspects of product development, manufacturing, marketing, sales and OnStar applications.

• GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson believes that “Having a single nerve center for our global operations will get newer vehicle designs and technologies into our customers’ hands quicker and improve the bottom line. IT is back home where it should be, and it further drives unnecessary complexity from our businesses while improving our operational efficiency and better supporting our business strategy.”
• Mr. Mott said that “We believe we can grow faster with stronger IT. That is why we are making investments in our own data centers and innovation centers.”

The company’s new data center has been designed to be easier to maintain and expand, and less expensive to cool.

GM typically sells more than 9 million vehicles worldwide each year, makes cars and trucks in 30 different countries.