General Motors just announced that it is limiting operations at its San Luis Potosi plant, with a shutdown for vehicle assembly planned between today and April 13th. The shutdown is in response to the ongoing novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The San Luis Potosi plant is the first GM Mexico production facility to limit operations in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.
“The first GM plant in Mexico that will be closed starting tomorrow afternoon Friday, March 20th is the assembly line of San Luis Potosi,” said GM Mexico communications official, Manuel Avila Fonseca, in an emailed statement to GM Authority, as translated from Spanish.
Earlier this week, GM announced that would begin a full shutdown of North American production until at least the end of March, adding that “production status will be reevaluated week-to-week after that.” GM confirmed on Wednesday that a GM employee working at the Warren Tech Center campus in Michigan has tested positive for COVID-19.
Meanwhile, GM will halt production in Brazil in response to the pandemic.
GM has also said that it is offering free OnStar crisis assist services to current Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC owners, and will offer unspecified relief measures for customers who have been financially impacted and purchased their vehicle through GM Financial.
Further shutdowns for the other GM Mexico production facilities are expected in the near future. To note, the GM San Luis Potosi plant is responsible for production of the Chevrolet Trax and GMC Terrain, as well as the Chevrolet Equinox for the Mexican market and South America.
The San Luis Potosi GM Mexico production facility first opened in 2008, and spans some 37.3 million square feet. The facility employees roughly 1,800 people, and provides vehicle assembly, propulsion systems assembly, and stamping. Vehicle assembly is the only operation affected by this shutdown at this time.
Annual vehicle production capacity at full operation is about 160,000 units.
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