Chevy Silverado Inventory Fairly Strong In September 2023

In an attempt to gain bargaining leverage over negotiations regarding labor contracts with the Detroit Three automakers, the UAW has been organizing strikes at various General Motors, Ford and Stellantis plants. At present, workers at the GM Fort Wayne plant in Indiana and the GM Flint plant in Michigan, which respectively produce the Chevy Silverado 1500 and Silverado HD, have yet to go on strike. Meanwhile, inventory levels of the Bow Tie brand’s iconic pickup were fairly strong in September 2023.

According to a report from Cox Automotive, inventory levels of the pickup truck across the United States stood at a 90 days supply in September. For comparison’s sake, the optimal level of inventory is typically considered to be a 60 days supply.

In regard to General Motors as a whole, the Detroit-based automaker posted a 57 days supply figure in September 2023. This comes as Q3 2023 inventory levels where its highest since the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. As reference, Ram had a 108 days supply while Ford F-150 had a 97 days supply as of the through September 2023.

While Chevy Silverado inventory levels are fairly strong, things could go in the wrong direction pretty quickly, as UAW president Shawn Fain announced today that the strike is entering a new phase in that the union could order workers to walk out of any targeted plant at any time, instead of on Fridays as have been the case so far. In fact, the UAW expanded its strike to Ford’s very profitable Kentucky plant that builds the Ford Super Duty, the Ford Expedition and the Lincoln Navigator.

A strike almost took place at the GM Arlington plant in Texas just last week, where the automaker’s full-size SUVs are manufactured, before General Motors offered to include Ultium Cells battery plant workers in the national UAW contract. Due to the profitability of the pickup trucks, a strike of any duration could have dire consequences, and low dealer inventory only makes GM’s position frailer.

“Inventory levels remain relatively stable, and, with the exception of some GM models, Detroit automakers have ample inventory for now to keep them operating through the coming month,” Cox Automotive Senior Economist Charlie Chesbrough claimed in a prepared statement. “Some brands have inventory buildup, so production disruptions will take time to feed through the distribution network. However, the strike could start to have an impact in the coming weeks if it continues.”

Subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevy Silverado news, Chevy news, GM business news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.