A GM supplier manufacturing warehouse in Lansing Delta Township, Michigan caught on fire yesterday, raising concerns of possible production delays.
According to a report from local NBC affiliate WILX 10, a fire broke out at Ryder Integrated Logistics Monday afternoon, creating a plume of smoke that could be seen for miles around. Firefighter crews worked to quickly contain the fire, with personnel onsite breaking down walls through the late afternoon to ensure that the wall insulation was not still on fire.
Luckily, no injuries were reported. However, the fire has lead to concerns that GM’s production schedule may be affected. Ryder Integrated Logistics provides parts sequencing and sorting for the automaker.
GM operates on a “just in time” manufacturing system which calls for parts to be sourced as needed, rather than via the creation of a surplus of parts. Although this type of system is leaner and more profitable, it also opens GM to risk if the supply of parts is cut short. GM has not yet made a statement whether it expects a production slowdown as a result of the recent fire.
To note, GM operates a manufacturing facility in Lansing Delta Township that produces the Buick Enclave and Chevy Traverse crossovers. As of this writing, the production for both vehicles is at full capacity, with the 2023 model year production kicking off on June 11th, 2022.
Like the broader automotive industry, GM has faced considerable setbacks this year as a result of the global microchip shortage. As supplies of the critical components have fluctuated throughout the year, GM has employed various strategies to keep production online, including a “build-shy” strategy wherein vehicles are produced and stored in an incomplete state in order to keep production lines moving. These incomplete vehicles are then finished and shipped once additional stores of the microchip components are sourced.
Additionally, GM has opted to curtail certain vehicle features in order to reduce the number of microchips required to build each vehicle.
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Comments
Did Ford do the wiring?
Take it easy there Mr.GM… Last time I checked, GM was leading the way in vehicles catching on fire…
That Ryder Logistics plant used to be GM Lansing Engine, home of the venerable Quad 4.
Over on Canal? I did not know that. I drove by it for years on the way to work.
I guess it’s like so many other places that used to be GM plants around here.
I had an H.O. Quad 4 in a 1990 Beretta. Other than the bad head gaskets (which they warrantied) I absolutely loved that engine. Set the cruise control on 100 and she’d happily do it all day long.
Production? Does it matter if it hurt production or not. You can’t get any vehicle built in Michigan shipped. Traverse and HD are just stuck, not waiting on chips, just sitting in a muddy field.
It has become a joke!
It’s funny when you think back to everyone joking about Tesla using a giant tent to increase capacity at their California plant. Now, it’s perfectly fine for trucks, crossovers, and pony cars to sit in fields for months in Michigan, year round.
The mice love the new soy based wire insulation.
Appears to be a relatively new facility. Fire suppression system was either underdesigned or failed. Insurer needs to improve their loss control inspections and local fire department needs to also improve on their fire inspections and recommendations. GM also needs to have their workplace safety and health specialists visit critical vendor facilities for risk management. BTW: OSHA conducts free workplace safety and health surveys without writing tickets. NFPA standards are incorporated into the free OSHA inspections by reference.
OK GOT IT!!! NOW HOW MUCH LONGER WILL I HAVE TO WAIT ON MY 2023 TRAVERSE RS?????
Probably not nearly as long as I’m going to wait for my CT5-V BlackWing. Yeah, I know, that doesn’t help…
Sorry.
This was due to cigarettes in a trash can starting the fire, nothing to do with the cars themselves catching fire. The wiring is done by Yazaki North America.
Fire suppression system needs design reevaluation.
Bring in insurers loss control professionals to perform study and recommendations.
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I HAVE A QUESTION. I CALLED ONCE AGAIN TO MY DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF I AM GETTING A 2022 TRAVERSE OR A 2023. FIRST THEY SAID A 2023 WHEN I SAID A ADVISIOR FROM GM SAID A 2022 THE DEALER CHANGED AND SAID THEY DIDN’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GETTING?
I WAS ALSO TOLD THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE PRODUCING BLACK TRAVERSE RS THEY JUST AREN’T AVAILABLE?
DID THEY RUN OUT OF BLACK PAINT?