#FlintAssembly

The Detroit Lions have never played in a Super Bowl, but the team’s appearance in this Sunday’s NFC Championship game may pave the way for its first Big Game. The whole city is understandably excited, and to help its employees enjoy the game, General Motors is delaying a shift at its Flint Assembly Plant.

A statement from General Motors suggests the chip shortage that has crippled vehicle production may be easing.

GM has said in a statement that it plans to increase Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra production by about 1,000 trucks a month, starting in mid-July.

While General Motors earned the right to resume production in Mexico on Thursday, parts procurement in the gradually reopening North American economy remains a serious roadblock.

U.S. plants came online May 18th following two months of pandemic-prompted downtime. Of topmost importance to all members of the Detroit Three are their hot-selling pickup lines, though UAW- and state-approved health protocol calls for a slow ramp-up, with all plants operating on reduced shifts. Parts supply will dictate those ramp-ups; in GM’s case, boosted pickup production in the Midwest will have to wait.

It looks like Mexico couldn’t handle the demand.

After sending some of the production of its light-duty trucks south of the border in 2013, General Motors will soon begin assembly of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab in Flint, Michigan, according to MLive.