GM ups production at Lordstown plant
 

LORDSTOWN — Expected high demand for the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 is prompting GM to schedule extra production at the General Motors Corp. Lordstown Complex, a union leader said Wednesday.

Workers are scheduled to build cars on overtime Saturday shifts Feb. 16 and Feb. 23, along with two more Saturday shifts in March and April, according to Jim Graham, president of Local 1112 that represents 2,400 workers at the Lordstown assembly plant.

Three Saturday overtime shifts are expected in May, he added.

For now, workers also are scheduled to work the second week of the annual shutdown in the first two weeks of July, although GM can change that schedule anytime in February, Graham said.

The complex worked the second week of the July shutdown last year for the first time in the many years since it began the annual down weeks for model changeover.

Another 1,000 hourly employees work at the next-door Metal Center plant, which makes and assembles steel body parts for the cars. Hundreds more work at nearby supplier plants.

Graham called the extra production good news because it shows strong demand for the fuel-efficient small cars during a time of high gasoline prices.

Cobalt sales dragged through the first half of the year before catching fire in the last five months as gasoline prices surged past $3 a gallon.

Woot!!!

Alright! Hopefully the SS/TC can be debuted faster!!!

Yup, there was almost no inventory at my dealership. I took 1 of 4 on the lot. The other dealer had only 2. Hard to believe. Note: I'm talking about 4 dr. automatic. There were tons of coupes on the lot. It's been a week, and there are still no new Cobalt inventory (not that I'm looking).

yay for Gm

nice! Score one for the Cobalt.