GM Reshapes Production Schedule

General Motors Corp. is scheduling overtime shifts and increasing line-speed at three car plants while adding down weeks and slowing production at “several” assembly sites for SUVs and pickup trucks.

“With the continuing shift of consumer demand moving from trucks and SUVs to cars and (cross/utility vehicles), we need to balance our production,” GM says in a statement.

To meet increased demand for cars and CUVs, GM is scheduling overtime at two Michigan plants – Orion Twp. and Delta Twp. – and one in Fairfax, KS. Fairfax produces the Chevy Malibu and Saturn Aura midsize cars. Orion’s output consists of the Malibu and Pontiac G6 midsize cars, while Delta produces the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook midsize CUVs.

The auto maker’s plant in Lordstown, OH – home to Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5 production – will see its line-speed increase to 62 jobs per hour from 55 jobs per hour. Next month will see pickup production temporarily halted for one week at plants in Fort Wayne, IN; Shreveport, LA; Silao, Mexico and Oshawa, ON, Canada. By year’s end, Fort Wayne and Silao will see two additional down weeks. Oshawa will experience seven additional down weeks.

SUV plants in Arlington, TX, and Janesville, WI, will be idled for two weeks next month, beginning July 14. One shift at Moraine, OH, will be idled for a week beginning July 14.

Janesville, Moraine, Oshawa and a fourth pickup plant in Toluca, Mexico, have been targeted for closure within the next two years.

Toluca produces medium-duty trucks such as the Chevrolet Topkick.

Bucking the trend is GM’s van plant in Wentzville, MO. The auto maker has scheduled overtime there to comply with fleet orders.

Production at Wentzville was halted for 81 days earlier this year because of a strike at supplier, American Axle Holdings & Mfg. Inc.

Meanwhile, GM confirms plans to launch production of its hybrid-electric pickups at Oshawa.

“We have confirmed that we will stay with the original plan of producing the hybrids in Oshawa until the plant ceases operation,” says Stew Low, spokesman for General Motors Canada Ltd. “It is our desire to introduce the hybrid pick ups as soon as possible.”