DETROIT — General Motors has extended planned downtime at Fairfax Assembly in Kansas City, Kan., through Aug. 16.
The plant has been down since Feb. 8 because of the global microchip shortage. Employees were informed of the extension June 17.
“The global semiconductor shortage remains complex and very fluid,” said GM spokesman David Barnas in a statement, “but GM’s supply chain, engineering and manufacturing teams continue to find creative solutions and make strides working with the supply base to maximize production of high-demand and capacity-constrained vehicles.
“This includes leveraging every available semiconductor to build and ship our highly-profitable full-size trucks and SUVs for our customers.”
Fairfax, which builds the Cadillac XT4 crossover and Chevrolet Malibu sedan, was previously planned to be idled through July 5.
“For years and years, we’ve made good cars, and that’s what we do,” UAW Local 31 President Clarence Brown said. “All we can do is be laid off and wait for General Motors to tell us what they’re gonna tell us.”
As of this week, GM production also remains down at Wentzville Assembly in Missouri, which is undergoing its previously scheduled changeover to new midsize truck production.
Production of the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 cars at Lansing Grand River Assembly in Michigan has been down since May 10 and will remain so through the week of Aug. 9. Chevrolet Camaro production at the plant resumed June 21. The plant will also continue to support limited production of Cadillac Blackwing variants.
