GM extends production halt at Mexico truck plant over supply chain issue

By David Shepardson

(Reuters) -General Motors said on Tuesday its Silao Assembly Plant in Mexico that makes Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks will extend a production halt through March 20 because of an undisclosed temporary supply chain issue.

The largest U.S. automaker previously announced it was halting production from March 4-12 at its central Mexico plant because of a supply chain issue. The automaker said is working with suppliers to resolve the supply chain issue and plans to resume production next week.

GM declined to say what the supply issue was but said it was not related to semiconductor chips.

GM Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said in January the automaker continued “to face some supply chain and logistics issues, but overall, things remain trending in the right direction.”

Last month, GM said it would idle its Fort Wayne, Indiana, assembly plant that builds Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks for two weeks starting March 27 to maintain “optimal inventory levels with our dealerships.” GM said the Mexican production halt was not related to efforts to optimize inventory.

GM share closed down 0.5% Tuesday to $35.60.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Gregorio)