GM adjusts production at half its North American plants

GM has confirmed that production at half of its North American plants will need to be adjusted as consumer demand shifts from large pickups and SUVs to smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles. It’s not all bad news as the plants responsible for GM’s car and crossover models will see increased overtime and faster production times. Many of its plants for its pickups and SUVs, however, will be closed for up to 12 weeks despite production numbers already cut by the three-month UAW strike at American Axle earlier this year.

The adjustment will see GM’s pickup and SUV production reduced by 170,000 units in the second half of the year, while car and crossover production will increase by 47,000 vehicles. Three car and crossover plants will add Saturday shifts and overtime, and the assembly speed at the Lordstown site will be increase from 55 vehicles per hour to 62, reports Automotive News.

The U.S. auto industry is facing 15 year lows and has been seeing sales dip each month. GM sales through May were off 15.9 percent from the same period in 2007, and the entire U.S. car market is expected to slip under 15 million vehicles this year.