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Large GM Trucks And SUV Plants Running On Three Shifts, Maximum Overtime

When the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the U.S., General Motors responded by temporarily suspending North American production operations. As a result, supplies of large GM trucks and SUV models dwindled, but now, as workers return to the line and the new models roll out, the automaker’s various large pickup and SUV plants are running full steam ahead.

“GM remains focused on producing the right mix of vehicles to meet demand,” General Motors states in its Q3 2020 press release. “Large pickup and full-size SUV plants are all operating on three shifts and at maximum overtime. Robust, multi-layered COVID-19 safety protocols have been implemented across all of GM’s facilities to help keep employees safe and restore production to pre-pandemic levels.”

In the U.S., General Motors produces its large pickup models, including the GMC Sierra, Chevy Silverado, and Sierra HD / Silverado HD, at the GM Flint Assembly facility in Flint, Michigan, and the Fort Wayne Assembly facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Meanwhile, the automaker’s large SUV lineup, which includes the Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon / Yukon XL, and Cadillac Escalade / Escalade ESV are all produced at the GM Arlington facility in Arlington, Texas.

Meanwhile, the Chevy Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 GM trucks are also produced at the Silao Assembly Plant in Mexico, which is also believed to be running at full steam.

As GM Authority covered last week, U.S. GM sales were down 10 percent in Q3 of 2020, with 665,192 units sold. All four GM brands saw sales decreases. Chevy Silverado sales dropped 5 percent, Chevy Tahoe Sales dropped 12 percent, Chevy Suburban sales dropped 39 percent, and GMC Yukon sales dropped nearly 25 percent. Interestingly, GMC Sierra sales saw a 2 percent increase.

Sales Numbers - Large GM Trucks And SUVs - Q3 2020 - USA

MODEL Q3 20 / Q3 19 Q3 20 Q3 19 YTD 20 / YTD 19 YTD 20 YTD 19
CHEVROLET SILVERADO -5.14% 147,484 155,482 +0.58% 414,650 412,259
GMC SIERRA +2.44% 67,812 66,198 +6.75% 174,645 163,601
CHEVROLET TAHOE -12.11% 23,121 26,308 -25.67% 59,540 80,103
CHEVROLET SUBURBAN -39.08% 7,548 12,391 -42.29% 24,059 41,686
GMC YUKON -46.62% 10,002 18,737 -53.65% 24,891 53,707
TOTAL -8.29% 255,967 279,116 -7.13% 697,785 751,356

However, with the next-gen GM trucks and SUVS now revealed and production ramping up to pre-pandemic levels, those sales numbers are likely to see a huge boost in the next few months.

Let us know what you think in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more ongoing General Motors news coverage.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. So here is the problem….went to a GMC dealer today…..has ONE Yukon Denali in stock….told me it is full price “whats on the sticker”….talked about ordering one (but I am not paying full price) told me dealer custom orders are restricted and suggested I come back in the spring…….supply of vehicles is a joke…..either GM needs to figure this out or buyers will move on to something else…..can’t believe they are at FULL capacity building Yukon and can’t get them in good numbers to the dealers….not sure why you can’t even order one for delivery 2 to 3 months from now

    Reply
    1. Same thing up here in Canada. Dealer currently has a combined 6 Silverado and Sierras on the lot… Impossible to get one for below MSRP.

      Reply
      1. Keep shopping, I just bought a 2021 Yukon Denali using my GM retiree discount.
        Look at dealers in small towns. Mine contacted 13 other dealers to find one for me and traded a pickup to get my truck from nearly 200 miles away. Great truck BTW.

        Reply
        1. Bozo has it right! If your regular dealer doesn’t care enough about you to give you a traditional price, take your business to a small market dealer who respects the fact you sought them out. Order and await delivery.

          I’ve been giving my business to a small market dealer for 17 years now, in fact it was one that GM wanted to shut off 10 years ago. I’ve bought 6 new vehicles and 1 used vehicle from them since. I love them as much as they love me. Have a ‘21 Yukon XL Denali on order as I write and I didn’t pay full list or even close. They treat me right because they want me to come back for my next new vehicle without any resentment.

          Reply
          1. The thing we have to remember as buyers of new vehicles, if you can’t deal with a specific dealer then move on down the road to the next dealer. You can always buy the same identical vehicle new somewhere else. Find that dealer who appreciates your business.

            Reply
    2. Only good thing for me is, I am not in a rush……if I don’t change my mind about ordering, I’ll go back in a few months and see if the story changes…….but for GM , its not good to get people into a dealership and then have no inventory

      Reply
    3. Go home and fly a kite. “Yes I’d like a discount on your highest demand and newest offering!” Hopefully you got kicked out of there so hard you got road rash from bouncing down the street.

      Reply
      1. And there’s the problem with dealers that have that attitude. Your not doing the consumer a favor by selling a car! Your selling a car to stay in business. And dealers are going to lose more customers who are more informed about dealer invoices,incentives,holdbacks, etc

        Making 6-8% over invoice on a 60k pickup truck and asking to not pay msrp or even over is not asking for a discount ! It’s called car buying

        Reply
    4. This is not a uniquely GM problem right now. A friend’s Jeep lease is coming to an end soon, and dealerships will NOT deal on a new one. Basically the same situation you described above. Aside from any incentives, they will not budge on price. They simply say “If you don’t buy it, the next person will”.

      Reply
    5. I HOPE I HAVE BETTER LUCK WITH MINE. I ORDERED NEW YUKON WITH DIESEL ENGINE 10/31/20 FROM GEORGIA DEALER AT INVOICE PRICE, BUT I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION ON ESTIMATED DELIVERY. I SEE A FEW DIESELS STARTING TO SHOW UP AT THE DEALERS, BUT VERY FEW COMPARED TO THE GAS HOG GAS MODELS.

      Reply
  2. Oshawa is awaiting the call !

    Reply
    1. They’ll be waiting…

      Reply
    2. We built the the last model (K2) body’s in our old body shop and shipped them to you and you guys assembled the truck. Right before the pandemic hit Gm started removing the old equipment and unfortunately they can’t make anymore because half of the stuff is gone. I bet the wish they still could! I own a Canadian equinox. Hopefully they keep building there!

      Reply
  3. Don’t know about full size trucks but I work at the Wentzville plant which builds the mid size Colorado and GMC Canyon as well as the full size vans Chevrolet Express/ GMC Savanah. We keep getting told that we are going to “critical” level working 7 days a week but they keep sending us home early because we are running out of parts.

    Reply
  4. Supply and demand.

    Reply
  5. I’m in the market now for a 2020 Silverado Crew Cab. I’ve located about 5 on the internet about 500 miles away. With all the rebates available, I’m in the hunt. I had one dealer already give me a good price, just waiting for me to agree. Spending 40,000 grand on a vehicle is scary and exciting as my current truck is a 2011. Technology is ever changing.

    Reply
  6. GM can keep their MADE IN MEXICO GARBAGE that they still want 70 thousand for, I’m buying a Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition that is MADE IN USA, BY AMERICANS

    Reply
    1. Only difference between the made in Mexico Chevy and the scab turd you call a truck is what side of the Rio Grande your looking from.

      Reply
    2. You call that Tundra a truck? That couldn’t pull a goose neck with 30,000 lbs of payload if its’ frame depended on it. 1794 turd even has poor MPG! Worthless just like’s cousin the Tacoma.

      Reply
  7. Oshawa is more than capable to take care of any overflow

    Reply
  8. No more GM for if they don’t want to build in Canada .I bought a 2019 tundra last year because Toyota builds cars in Canada .If we are not good enough to build there cars then we are not good enough to drive them .

    Reply
  9. The problem is transportation. I ordered a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD on March 13th, wasn’t entered into the system until June 23rd. Was built week of August 10th, still hasn’t left Michigan. No one can tell me when the truck will be shipped to NY. So it’s almost 7 months and no vehicle. I could have ordered a 2021 at the end of September. GM get your act together…..

    Reply
  10. Ordered a 21 Yukon Denali the first week of August. Still waiting and finally “supposed” to get built this week. Dealers here in Indy have a good supply of Yukon’s but couldn’t find what I wanted. Got a good but not great deal.

    Reply
  11. There are very few 1500’s to choose from at the dealers in my area. One had 5 they usually have 35. Discounts are about 5 grand right now.

    Reply
  12. I work at the plant that makes the Chevy Traverse & Buick Enclave where we just started building the 2021 models today. We were supposed to go back to 3 shifts in May, but the Covid shutdown nixed that. Now we have 2 shifts working 9 hours every weekday and 2 out of 3 Saturdays. If there is more than 4 hours breakdown on any shift across the 3 plants (Body, Paint or General Assembly) GM can rescind Plan A and force each shift to work 12 hours if they want to. Mary Barra was here yesterday, and management tells us that the reason we can’t go back to 3 shifts right now is because our suppliers can’t meet our demand because they are still having lots of absentee issues due to the Corona Virus. Dealers are screaming for more of our vehicles, but our hands are tied because of our suppliers. A sad situation, to be sure, but nothing we can do about it, unfortunately.

    Reply
  13. Ordered a 2500HD crew cab 4wd High Country gas engine in August…Dealer does not know when it will be shipped due to gas engines for this model hard to come by???? Anyone have any information about this??? thanks

    Reply
    1. Bob, I am going through the same issue, I ordered a 2500HD Crew in early Sept it is mid-December and “no word”. The Dealer sent me a email last week and was told by a Chevrolet Rep that they are still not in “full producton” of 2500HD trucks with gas engines, they have been focusing on diesel. Have you had any notification since October when you posted this spot?

      Reply
  14. I ordered a 2021 High Country Suburban in May (Wisconsin). Still not anywhere in site. When they cannot deliver a $85K vehicle in 5 months they have a problem.

    Reply
  15. Any info on how long it takes to build a suburban ones actual production starts?

    Reply
  16. My 2021 suburban was slated to be built the first week of November. Dealer told me I would see invoice and vin # that week. And so far, crickets!
    How long does it usually take for a vin/invoice once the vehicle is built?? Thank you!!!

    Reply
  17. Ordered my 2021 HD3500 on 12/17/2020. GM is building it this week. I have to say very damn good lead time. Keep up the good work. Plus it is a Duramax diesel. GM guy forever.

    Reply
    1. I am happy for you, I ordered a 2021 2500HD (Gas) as of last week, Dealer has not gotten word one on if or when this truck would be built. I have owned a Chevrolet since 1978. I switched to RAM, in lest then 10 days I have a VIN# and a date delivered to the Dealer. GM is not providing good customer service.

      Reply

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