The recent earthquake in Japan is having an effect on auto production worldwide, including GM’s plant in Lordstown.
The Lordstown plant just received a $50 million makeover to start production of the third-generation Chevy Cruze. Now, GM is suspending production for at least two weeks due to a disruption in the parts supply chain.
Spokesman Tom Mock says the company is eager to get the plant moving again.
“Once the down-time is completed and our production schedules and parts availability allow, we’ll begin making up those lost units. And we expect to have those complete by the end of the calendar year.
“We have been building that vehicle since early February [and are] getting great response from that vehicle from our 3,600 Chevrolet dealers. We are shipping that vehicle to dealers, and we will continue to do so even over these next couple of weeks."
The earthquake is also causing supply-chain disruptions – and production delays -- at three other GM plants in North America. More than 4,100 hourly employees work at Lordstown, and union officials say some of them will still be called into work over the next two weeks.
Fortune reports that parts suppliers have had to suspend production in Japan of items such as semiconductors, sun roofs and door handles.
