Millions of dollars are being invested in production by automotive manufacturers in the US, creating additional jobs in the sector.

General Motors (GM) is reported to be spending $190 million on the manufacture of a smaller Cadillac model.

The company expects to protect existing positions and hire an additional 600 individuals at its assembly facility in Lansing, Michigan and claims this will bring the number of roles it has created since emerging from bankruptcy in July 2009 to more than 7,900.

GM chief executive Dan Akerson said: "This investment demonstrates GM's commitment to Cadillac and to a strong US manufacturing base."

Meanwhile, Ford is planning to provide 500 automotive jobs in the US at its factory in Chicago, where it produces its Explorer SUV, the first on this scale in a number of years.

This follows an announcement by the firm that its profits rose by almost 70 per cent year-on-year to $1.7 billion in the third quarter of 2010.

Posted by Fiona Summers