GM's Tom Pickett wins 2026 SPE Lifetime Achievement Award. Pickett, whose four-decade portfolio includes the development of fiberglass-reinforced composite automotive components, will be honored at the SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Gala on Nov. 4. Senior Managing Editor, CompositesWorld and Products Finishing Source | SPE Automotive Division Tom Pickett, lead materials engineer at General Motors Co. (Detroit, Mich., U.S.), has been named the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award winner by the Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE, Danbury, Conn., U.S.). Over more than 40 years at GM, Pickett's work has spanned exterior, interior, powertrain and chassis applications, including long glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene running boards and a structural shifter housing made from 100% recycled glass-filled nylon 6/6, among several other projects credited with expanding composite and reinforced plastic material use on production vehicles. First given in 2001 by SPE's Automotive Division, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals whose work in research, design or engineering has led to significant integration of polymeric materials on passenger vehicles. Pickett holds 11 patents, two trade secrets and four defensive publications spanning material processing, part assembly and design. His development work spans: Learn to cut the cost and time of tooling. CW's editors are tracking the latest trends and developments in tooling, from the basics to new developments. This collection, presented by Composites One, features recent CW stories that detail a range of tooling technologies, processes and materials. Download Collection * The long glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene running boards on the 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer and GMC Envoy. * A mechanical interlocking system designed to neutralize the coefficient of linear thermal expansion in elastomeric seals for electric vehicle battery box applications * A non-painted, slush-molded thermoplastic polyurethane skin for the 2003 Cadillac XLR that expanded the safe airbag deployment temperature range from -20-85°C to -40-107°C. He also introduced GM's "first" use of recycled nylon in an engine port and what the company describes as the automotive industry's first use of 100% recycled glass-filled nylon 6/6 in a structural shifter housing, deployed across the 2005 Saturn Ion, Vue, Chevrolet Equinox and Malibu. Pickett holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from College of the Holy Cross, a master's in plastics engineering from University of Massachusetts Lowell and an MBA from University of Detroit Mercy. He has presented more than 60 technical papers on automotive plastics technology and has served more than 40 years with SPE's Automotive Division and Detroit Section, including as chair and president. "His overall dedication, experience and contributions not only to GM, but to the industry as well, are remarkable," says Frederick Deans, P.E., owner of Allied Composites Technology (Rochester Hills, Mich., U.S.) and the 2015 SPE Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, who nominated Pickett for the honor. Pickett will receive the award at the 55th annual SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Gala at Laurel Manor in Livonia, Mich., U.S., on Nov. 4, 2026, an event sponsored in part by Celanese Corp. (Irving, Texas, U.S.) that typically draws more than 600 OEM engineers, industry executives and media. * SABIC composite hybrid battery cover enhances EV safety, efficiency SABIC collaborated with Engel, Siebenwurst, Forward Engineering, Ensinger and Envalior to develop a thermoplastic composite EV battery cover, combining strong structural performance, flame retardancy and design efficiency. * Advancing the Thermoplastic Composite Battery Enclosure into Production Having achieved its first few commercial series successes, Kautex Textron explains the design process for its Pentatonic battery enclosure platform, which comprise glass fiber/PP or PA6 and injection overmolding a compression molded laminate. * Composite bipolar plates provide 81% improvement to hydrogen fuel cell power density Ultra-thin CFRTP plates developed by Hycco achieve a 7.5 kilowatt/kilogram power density, high durability for fuel cells in long-flight drone and heavy-mobility applications.

GM workers approve deal to build new GMC Sierra truck in Canada amid US tariffs. General Motors workers in Canada have approved a new deal that will add a heavy-duty GMC Sierra truck to GM's Oshawa plant, as the auto sector faces higher US tariffs and trade uncertainty. By Reuters August 31, 2026, 7:26:36 AM IST (Published) General Motors workers in Canada on Sunday approved an agreement that would build a new heavy-duty truck in Ontario, part of a pledge by the automaker to invest in a country now facing a doubling of tariffs. Canada's auto sector is grappling with 25% U.S. duties on vehicles, and U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to lift that to 50% on January 1, 2027. The fate of Canadian auto plants has emerged as a central issue in the stalled U.S.-Canada trade negotiations. According to details of the agreement released by the Canadian union Unifor on Saturday, GM offered to spend C$144 million to add the next-generation heavy-duty GMC Sierra truck to a plant in Oshawa, and pledged not to immediately sell or close a second assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. GM has promised to invest over C$1 billion ($720 million) in Canadian plants. That includes a C$691 million commitment to support production of new V8 engines in Ontario that was previously announced in April, according to Unifor, which represents 4,600 GM workers in the province. The deal offered Canadian workers a 3% wage increase a year over three years. "The new agreements include meaningful improvements to wages, benefits and job security, and recognize the valuable contributions of our represented employees while helping sustain good-paying jobs that have long been a cornerstone of Canada's automotive industry," Jack Uppal, GM Canada president, said in a statement. U.S. and Canadian trade talks ended last week over unresolved issues, such as whether to cut duties on medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that are critical for Canadian factories. U.S. automakers had hoped the trade talks would deliver relief from Washington's original 25% tariffs that have raised the cost of shipping vehicles and parts across the border. About 17% of GM's Chevrolet Silverado pickup-truck production - its top-selling model - is in Canada, according to research from Barclays.

Unifor members ratify contracts with GM securing new products, investment. Aug 30, 2026, 21:03 ET TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2026 /CNW/ - Unifor members at General Motors voted overwhelmingly to ratify contracts that secure new products and investment, while also delivering the wages and benefit improvements in the union's pattern agreement. "These agreements commit more than one billion dollars in vital investments to Canadian GM facilities, with a new single source next-generation transmission at the St. Catharines Propulsion Plant and the return of next-generation Heavy-Duty GMC Sierra production to Oshawa," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "GM is making these investments in both its highly skilled Canadian workforce and facilities at a crucial time, as our domestic auto industry is under siege by the Trump Administration." Negotiations with GM took place under challenging circumstances, with the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario idled and the majority of members on indefinite layoff. The union made clear that it will continue to push for production to return at CAMI Assembly. GM committed to seek opportunities for the CAMI facility and designated it as the plant of first consideration for the allocation of Canadian Armed Forces defence work if that work is awarded to General Motors. The agreement also extends the Income Maintenance Plan to eligible members on layoff until May 2028. "I thank the negotiating team for their hard work to reach this tentative agreement that delivers solid gains for our members at a time of upheaval for our industry," said GM Master Bargaining Chairperson Trevor Longpre. "We made significant progress in securing good, stable auto jobs and a stronger Canadian footprint, but the work to bring production back to CAMI is not over. This agreement gives our Ingersoll members a bridge until we get CAMI workers back on the job." The three-year collective agreement mirrors the 3% annual wage increases in the Detroit Three pattern agreement, set by Unifor with Ford Motor Company. The contract increases wages for full-rate production members to $50.20/hour and Skilled Trades workers to $62.71/hour during the life of the contracts. The new contracts cover more than 4,600 Unifor members at GM Ontario facilities in Oshawa, St. Catharines and Woodstock (the "GMCC" agreement) and the GM Assembly Plant in Ingersoll (the "CAMI" agreement). Unifor members covered by the GMCC Agreement voted 80.5% in favour. Members covered by the GM CAMI agreement voted 96.5% in support. Highlights include: * C$144 million to add next generation Heavy-Duty GMC Sierra truck to Oshawa Assembly. * C$215 million to assemble next-generation transmission in St. Catharines, with work anticipated to begin in late 2029. * Prior commitments of C$691 million to support sixth generation V8 engine in St. Catharines and $63 million toward stamping and CCA upgrades in Oshawa enshrined in the collective agreement. * Plan to mitigate layoffs at Oshawa Assembly. * Renewal of Cost of Living Allowance. * $10,000 Productivity and Quality bonus for eligible members. * $2,000 December Bonus for eligible members. * Increase in Retirees Universal Healthcare Allowance payments and extend payments to include surviving spouses. View the Master and Local Bargaining brochures here. Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future. SOURCE Unifor For media inquiries or to arrange interviews please contact Unifor Communications Representative Kathleen O'Keefe at [email protected] or by cell at (416) 896-3303.