GM extends downtime at crossover plants

DETROIT — General Motors said it is extending downtime at several crossover assembly plants in North America as the global microchip shortage drags on, but production at plants that make its lucrative full-size pickups and SUVs will continue.

“These most recent scheduling adjustments are being driven by the continued parts shortages caused by semiconductor supply constraints from international markets experiencing COVID-related restrictions,” the automaker said in a statement Thursday. “Although the situation remains complex and very fluid, GM continues to prioritize full-size truck production which remains in high demand.”

Seven of GM’s plants in North America will be running next week: its full-size pickup plants in Flint, Mich., Fort Wayne, Ind., and Silao, Mexico; its full-size SUV plant in Arlington, Texas; its Chevrolet Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Ky.; its GMC Acadia, Cadillac XT5 and XT6 plant in Spring Hill, Tenn.; and Fairfax Assembly in Kansas, which will build only the Cadillac XT4.

AutoForecast Solutions estimates that automakers will eliminate 9.4 million vehicles from their production schedules worldwide because of the chip shortage. So far, they’ve lost 8.2 million vehicles, including 2.6 million in North America.

Last week, GM CFO Paul Jacobson said the automaker stands to lose about 200,000 vehicles in the second half of the year because of the chip shortage, doubling an August projection.

But GM is maintaining its full-year financial guidance and expects broader chip distribution in 2022.

Lansing Delta Township Assembly: The Michigan plant will take an additional week of downtime, with production slated for Oct. 4. Production has been down since July 19. Lansing Delta Township builds the Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave.

Lansing Grand River Assembly: The Michigan plant will extend downtime for Chevy Camaro and Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing production through Oct. 1. Regular CT4 and CT5 production will also be down through Oct. 1, as scheduled.

Fairfax Assembly: The Kansas City, Kan., plant is slated to resume production of the Cadillac XT4 on Monday. Chevy Malibu downtime will be extended through Oct. 29. The plant has been down since Feb. 8.

Wentzville Assembly: The plant in Missouri will be down next week, as planned, and is scheduled to restart production Sept. 27. The plant has been down since Sept. 6. Wentzville builds the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups and the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size commercial vans.

CAMI Assembly: The plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, will add downtime through Oct. 15. The plant, which builds the Chevy Equinox, has been down since mid-July.

San Luis Potosi Assembly: The Mexico plant will be down through Oct. 15. San Luis Potosi builds the Equinox and GMC Terrain.

Ramos Arizpe Assembly: The Mexico plant will add another week of downtime for Chevy Blazer production through Oct. 1. Blazer production has been down since Aug. 23. Equinox production, which has been idled since Aug. 16, will extend its downtime through Oct. 15.

GM also extended a production halt at Orion Assembly in Michigan, which builds the Chevy Bolt EV and EUV. The plant will be down through Oct. 15 as a result of a battery pack shortage. GM recalled all Bolts last month for fire risk and plans to spend about $1 billion on the expanded recall, on top of the $800 million it spent last quarter.