GM aims to reopen North America plants on 18 May
US automaker General Motors (GM) plans to reopen the majority of its North American facilities beginning on 18 May after shuttering the plants in response to the spread of Covid-19.
The company announced the dates today following the [staggered closure of plants that began on 18 March](metals.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2088349).
GM plans to first bring back production of its most profitable vehicles, including trucks and SUVs, and it plans to focus on regions with low inventory of those models.
First-quarter global sales dropped by 22pc from a year earlier to 1.45mn vehicles, while profit tumbled by 87pc to around $300mn. North American sales fell by 7pc to 719,000 vehicles.
The company expects sales to drop again in the second quarter.
GM is among a half dozen automakers restarting North American manufacturing operations. With automakers consuming significant amounts of flat-rolled steel, shutdowns stemming from Covid-19 prevention measures have pressured US steelmakers to reduce flat-rolled steel capacity by more than 15.5mn short tons/yr.
Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, started reopening plants in Alabama and South Carolina on 27 April.
Earlier this week, automakers [Kia and Hyundai](metals.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2102257) started reopening plants in Alabama and Georgia respectively on a one-shift basis.
Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) moved [to reopen](metals.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2102449) its North American operations by the week of 18 May, with one plant in Belvidere, Illinois, scheduled to restart on 1 June.
[Toyota is scheduled](metals.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2100987) to begin opening plants on 11 May, while Ford expects to restart in mid-May.
By Will Ehrhardt
source: Argus Media
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