GM Makes Deeper Cuts in Truck, SUV Production

DETROIT _ General Motors Corp. will further reduce truck production in the second half of the year by 170,000 and increase production of cars, crossovers and vans by about 47,000, the company announced Monday afternoon.

The moves are the latest reaction to a U.S. automotive market in which the economy and $4-a-gallon gas are driving consumers to shift away from larger vehicles to smaller, more fuel efficient options.

In addition to its usual two-week shutdown in July, GM will shut down its truck plants in Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Oshawa, Ontario; Silao, Mexico; and Shreveport, La. for an additional week each in July.

Its plants in Janesville, Wis., and Arlington, Texas, will shut down for an additional two weeks in July. And its Moraine, Ohio, plant will operate at just one shift instead of the usual two for the week of July 14.

Also, beginning in August, GM said it will shut down its Oshawa plant another seven weeks this year, its Silao plant an additional 2 weeks; its Arlington plant an additional three weeks and Janesville another 10 weeks.

GM will increase production of several of its most popular cars and trucks by increasing the number of vehicles it builds per hour and adding overtime and Saturday work.

GM’s Fairfax, Kan., plant, which assembles the Chevrolet Malibu and Saturn Aura; its Orion Township, Mich., assembly plant, which manufactures the Malibu and the Pontiac G6; and its Wentzville, Mo., plant which assembles the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savannah will all add overtime or Saturday work.

Lansing Delta Township Assembly in Michigan, which builds the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook crossovers, will increase its use of Saturdays and overtime.

Separately, Lordstown, Ohio _ which assembles the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 _ will increase its line speed from three shifts working at 55 vehicles per hour to 3 shifts manufacturing 62 vehicles per hour.

“It’s not a surprise in the environment we’re in,” said GM Spokesman Tony Sapienza. “We are clearly moving quickly to respond to where the market’s headed.”

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