General Motors Co. is increasing production of full-size pickup trucks at its assembly plant near Fort Wayne, Indiana, and hiring hundreds of temporary employees, according to a company source.
The automaker declined to specify how much production it’s adding of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, or exactly how many temporary workers it’s hiring. The company isn’t adjusting any production schedules at this time at other plants, including at Oshawa Assembly in Ontario that also builds light-duty and heavy-duty Silverados and the Silao Plant in Mexico that produces full-size trucks, according to the source, who was not permitted to speak publicly on the topic.
The announcement came Thursday, the day that President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on imported vehicles began being collected. Trump cited national security concerns and the need for a robust supply chain in the decision, and has insisted the levies will increase U.S. manufacturing.
“General Motors will be making operational adjustments at Fort Wayne Assembly, including hiring temporary employees, to support current manufacturing and business needs,” the automaker said in a statement. “We continuously update and revise production schedules as part of our standard process of evaluating and aligning to manage vehicle inventory.”
Fort Wayne employs 4,149 workers on three shifts, according to GM’s website. The plant had been in the midst of hiring temporary workers to backfill summer vacations. This action expands that recruitment effort, according to the company source.
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