LaNeve: Truck inventories in ‘great shape’

American Axle strike idles fifth GM truck assembly plant

Richard Truett
and David Barkholz

Automotive News | March 3, 2008 - 9:57 am EST

DETROIT — General Motors has 60-90 days of pick-up truck inventories to cushion the automaker from the strike at American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc., said Mark LaNeve, vice president of North American sales, service and marketing.

Speaking today on GM’s monthly sales call, LaNeve said dealers report healthy supplies of trucks in spite of the shutdown of five GM truck assembly plants from strike-related parts shortages. The UAW struck American Axle, the dominant axle maker to GM, last Tuesday.

"It will be a long time until we run out of pickups to sell,” LaNeve said. "We are in great shape for 60 to 90 days easy. I am sure this thing will get itself worked out."

Meanwhile, another GM plant that uses components from American Axle will be idled because of a shortage of parts, GM said today.

The Moraine, Ohio, plant — which assembles the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, Saab 9-7X and Isuzu Ascender SUVs — will likely run out of parts sometime tonight, said GM spokesman Tom Wickham.

But the plant’s 2,361 hourly and salaried workers have been told to report to work as normal Tuesday, March 4. Wickham said GM will use the downtime for training.

Since the strike started nearly a week ago, GM has idled four plants.

More plant closings are on the way.

GM said it expected a Mishawaka, Ind., plant run by Humvee maker AM General to run out of parts for its military-inspired Hummer H2 by Tuesday.

Other GM facilities at risk due to their reliance on American Axle parts include plants devoted to SUV production in Arlington, Texas; Janesville, Wisconsin; and Silao, Mexico.