GM cutting production at two plants as sales slow
SHIFTING DEMAND from cars to trucks and SUVS is forcing General Motors to lay off more than 2,000 workers indefinitely at two assembly plants in Ohio and Michigan starting in January.
The company said on Wednesday it would suspend the third shifts at factories in Lordstown, Ohio, and in Lansing, Michigan, because of the market change, which is growing and shows no sign of abating.
About 1,250 workers will be furloughed at the Lordstown plant, which makes the Chevrolet Cruze compact car, starting January 23. Another 840 will be idled at the Lansing Grand River factory, which makes the Chevrolet Camaro muscle car and the Cadillac ATS and CTS luxury cars, when their shifts end January 16.
“It’s supply and demand, and right now the demand is not there for what we have,” said Glenn Johnson, president of a United Auto Workers union local at the Lordstown plant east of Cleveland.
Cruze sales are down nearly 20 per cent this year even though a new version is only in its second year of production.
Of the vehicles made in Lansing, ATS and CTS sales each are down about 17 per cent this year, while Camaro sales are off 9 per cent, according to Autodata Corp.
Laid-off workers will get supplemental pay and state unemployment benefits that will amount to most of their wages for a year.
The company doesn’t know when the workers will be called back to the factories, said spokesman Tom Wickham.
“Looking ahead at 2017, we know that the car market continues to soften and the crossover (SUV) and full-size truck market continues to grow,” he said.
Last month, 61.6 per cent of US new vehicle sales were trucks and SUVs, while cars dropped to 38.4 per cent, according to Autodata Corp. A year ago, trucks and SUVs accounted for 57.6 per cent of sales.
General Motors Company also announced Wednesday that it would invest more than US$900 million at a Toledo, Ohio, transmission plant, the Lansing Grand River factory and a casting plant in Bedford, Indiana, to prepare for future new vehicles.