DETROIT – General Motors is restarting production sooner than expected at a crossover plant in Tennessee after supplies improved of the semiconductor chips needed to produce vehicles at the facility.
The automaker’s Spring Hill Assembly plant will return to regular production on Monday instead of April 26, a week earlier than initially announced Thursday by the company. The facility builds the GMC Acadia and Cadillac XT5 and XT6 crossovers.
A GM spokesman attributed the change in scheduling to near-term improvements in supplies allowing the automaker to avoid the production impact at the plant. The United Auto Workers union informed Spring Hill’s more than 2,800 hourly workers of the change in plans Tuesday.
The company also will not halt production next week of the Chevrolet Blazer at a plant in Mexico, which was announced last week due to the chip shortage. Other plant shutdowns due to the chip shortage in Michigan, Kansas and Canada remain unchanged.
“Following our announcement last Thursday, April 8, GM’s supply chain organization has made strides working with our supply base to mitigate the near-term impacts of the semiconductor situation on both Spring Hill Assembly and Ramos Assembly,” GM said in an emailed statement.
This is a developing story, check back for more updates.