42,000 Units Lost In Outage

Auto industry losses exceeded 42,000 units due to last month's massive power outage that halted production at the Big Three's Detroit area plants as well as facilities throughout the Northeast.

The blackout abruptly cut electrical supply shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, affecting North America's most manufacturing-intensive region through the night and into the next day.

U.S. and Canada plants lost nearly 42,000 units of production, including slowed output in Ontario the week of Aug. 18, due to a government request that businesses restrict themselves to 50% of their normal electrical use. Of the total losses, the U.S. accounted for about 21,800 units.

At press time, General Motors Corp. still was mulling options to recoup production lost at 19 facilities during the blackout and was working with suppliers to determine component availability.

Ward's estimates the blackout initially cost GM 12,800 vehicles. Chrysler Group was planning to make up its estimated 16,200-unit loss through overtime.

Toyota Motor Mfg. Canada Inc. lost 1,400 units of Corolla and Matrix production, in Cambridge, Ont., and Honda of Canada Mfg. Inc. lost an estimated 3,200 units at its Alliston, Ont., facilities.