GM Shuts Down 4 N. American Plants- Can't Get Japanese Parts

[Gorehamj]

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
4/26/2016

General Motors is shutting down four plants in North America. The U.S. plants in Spring Hill, Tenn, Lordstown, Ohio, and Fairfax, Kan., as well as the Oshawa Plant in Canada. The reason is that General Motors cannot get parts critical to the vehicles manufactured there because they are made in Japan. A series of earthquakes hit the Japanese island of Kyushu earlier this month. Many news outlets reported on the effect that the earthquake would have on Japanese manufacturers like Toyota and Nissan. Few pointed out that General Motors relies on parts from Japanese suppliers for its North American-built vehicles.

 

GM said in a statement, “As GM continues to assess the potential impact on its supply chain from the recent earthquakes in Japan, it is taking proactive steps to mitigate a part supply issue and is adjusting production schedules at four of its North American assembly facilities.” The shut-downs are temporary and not expected to have any major impact on the full year's production numbers.

[newdude]

Man...if only those parts were made in Canada, Mexico or the United States...

[barry G]

the physics of location..

maine could be making astronomical frame rails...and using the sea.

the south could gently compile electronics..

the midwest can play banjo..

and..

[Daryl Z71]

Make the parts in the U.S and this problem wouldn't exist.

[diyer2]

Pink Floyd said it best,

MONEY!

[BIGDOGx]

Make the parts in the U.S and this problem wouldn't exist.

Record profits at gm, the people over at GMI think Bara is the reason lmao!

 

Factory's in Mexico, China and subbing part content from anywhere but america is the reason why!

[RhinoGuy]

You guys know that we have earthquakes and other natural disasters here in the good ol US of A don't you?

[RhinoGuy]

I understand your frustration with outsourcing from other countries,but the problem discussed here was caused by a earthquake.

[Colossus]

Betting the parts made in Japan are more reliable than what would be made here in the USA, sadly. But with the cost of living here in the states being so high, we won't see a lot of production and industrial jobs returning. In America, we want more more more but for less, where as in other countries where there is more people and less jobs, people are willing to take less to be able to work just to be able to survive.

[MikeNH]

This isn't about saving money. Japan isn't a cheap place to do business anymore. This is probably one of those companies that many, many brands use. Regardless, if manufacturing came back here, it wouldn't be a return to the midwest, it would be down south where the UAW hasn't infected the workforce yet.

[Colossus]

Good points.