Growing Trend: GM Canada Extends Summer Shutdown at Two Factories
General Motors Canada will idle a pair of Ontario factories longer than usual this summer as it struggles with lagging demand. If that sounds familiar, it’s because GM has taken the exact same approach with two factories in the United States.
On Monday, the automaker confirmed it will also be eliminating the overnight shift for Chevrolet Malibu production at its assembly plant in Kansas City. That follows a trio of shift eliminations at three plants in Michigan and one in Ohio since the beginning of the year. It appears that Canadian jobs could now be in danger.
“In keeping with GM’s strategy to evaluate market demand and adjust production schedules accordingly, Oshawa Assembly flex line employees and St. Catharines HFV6 line were advised of some additional down weeks,” company spokeswoman Jennifer Wright said in an email to Automotive News Canada.
Oshawa is responsible for assembly of the Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Impala and overflow of the Equinox. Production of the SUV is scheduled to end this summer — replaced by the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado, according to sources from Unifor Local 222.
General Motors refused to speculate on the amount of time it might add to the traditional two-week summer shutdown at the two Canadian facilities. “We do not comment on the specifics of our production schedules, which are subject to change,” Wright explained.
[Image: General Motors]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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great vehicles that marketing fails with. GM will never learn