A recent fire at one of General Motors‘ supplier’s plants may have an impact on the automaker’s production output.
A large portion of the American Axle and Manufacturing plant in Malvern, Ohio was destroyed this week after an early-morning fire swept through the sprawling facility. The massive blaze required the assistance of 18 fire departments departments from three different counties and efforts to extinguish the inferno depleted the local water supply.
American Axle office building facade
GM accounted for 37 percent of American Axle’s business last year, Automotive News reports, and is currently working to mitigate the impact the fire will have on its supply chain.
“Our thoughts are with the local community and everyone who has been affected by this tragic event,” a GM spokesman told AN in an emailed statement.”GM’s supply chain team is working closely with American Axle to develop contingency plans to mitigate any impact to parts supply and on our manufacturing operations.”
The plant was evacuated after the fire began to spread and no injuries were reported. The plant and related operations help to create jobs in the Malvern, Ohio region, however, and the fire may have a significant impact on the local economy. The plant currently employs 276 hourly and salaried employees.
“It’s going to have an effect. That impact is on our minds and we plan for these things,” Great Trails Fire District chief Ralph Castellucci told The Canton Repository this week. “This is worst-case scenario right now.”
It’s not clear which General Motors vehicles use American Axle products, nor which of its production facilities may be affected by any potential axle shortages. AN was also unable to verify if axles for any other manufacturers are built in the Malvern plant alongside General Motors products.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more GM-related supplier news and ongoing GM news coverage.
Comments
“AAM Named GM’s Target Supplier for Next-Gen Axles, Driveshafts. General Motors selected American Axle & Manufacturing as the target supplier to provide axles and driveshafts in its “next generation full size truck program,” operating under GM’s Strategic Sourcing Process ”
That was back in 2015^^
looks like their pickups and maybe their top selling big SUVs.
Nebula GM has been using AM to supply Axles for our full size trucks since at the very least the 900 series pickups which went into production in 06. With that said the axles for our full size vehicles come from AM’s factory in Mexico. Unless this factory supplies the Mexico factory or makes the driveshafts, then this will most likely affect the car/Crossover segment.
Hmm right. Looking at AAM’s website and the plant on google maps it’s a Metal forming plant
Their products are listed here: www . aam . com /what-we-do /our-products /metal-forming
They have another AAM plant just up the road from the one that burnt.
According to AAM’s statement, they make pinion gears and axle tubes for internal and external consumption, so it could be anything?
Sad, very sad.
I believe FCA uses them in their pickups too.
Why don’t they have a backup supplier?
That is not how the supply chain works for GM, or any other automaker.
Hope no one was hurt in the fire, but it sometimes does affect us at the plants. But its usually not long lived until they get up and running or get a new supplier. Maybe a week or two at the most. I would more than welcome that as an autoworker who has constant non stop forced overtime 6 and even 7 days a week since the coronavirus crap ended in the spring. Getting a week off and a break would be awesome.
Ahh, inadequate fire protection in the plant??
It’s unfortunate all around and the plant will be up and running soon, we hope. That said, the primary question: Is C8 production affected. AF
This absolutely sucks for automotive shops too, particularly anybody wanting to replace or upgrade gearing in their vehicle. American axle is one of the only gear sets that don’t whine, unlike Motive or Richmond that howl no matter how perfect the pattern.