Downtime extended at seven GM plants as chip shortage continues



(September 17, 2021) DETROIT — General Motors said it is extending downtime at seven 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."

The impacted plants are in Indiana, Missouri, Michigan, Tennessee, Canada and Mexico.
 
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.
Source: Automotive News