GM Reopens Four Shuttered North American Plants
Spring Hill Manufacturing
Last week, UAW 1853 chairman Mike Herron revealed in a Facebook post picked up by The Daily Herald that General Motors was planning to re-open its Spring Hill Assembly Plant on Monday after having shuttered it for two weeks. According to The Detroit News, three other plants affected by a parts shortage have also reopened.
According to GM spokesman Tom Wickham, production resumed on Monday at Spring Hill, Tennessee; Fairfax, Kansas; Lordstown, Ohio; and Oshawa, Ontario. All four plants have been shuttered since April 25th in the wake of a parts shortage brought about by last month’s earthquakes in Japan.
Wickham told The Detroit News that the shutdown has not led to any issues with inventory, even in cases where the plants are manufacturing new vehicles. Spring Hill is in the midst of building the 2017 Cadillac XT5 crossover, which launched last month and is taking the place of the SRX; the disparity between initial XT5 sales and the phasing out of the SRX led Cadillac to a 28.9% year-over-year sales decline.
General Motors has still yet to disclose exactly what parts were affected by the earthquake, but Detroit News reports that a Facebook post from UAW Local 1112 indicated that it was an electrical part.
It is not expected that the temporary shutdowns will affect either production plans moving forward or the company’s second-quarter financial results in North America.
Models built across the four facilities include the Cadillac XT5 and XTS; Chevrolet Impala, Cruze, and Malibu; Buick LaCrosse and Regal; and GMC Acadia.
News Source: The Detroit News
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.