Howell Plant Fire Impacts Automakers
HOWELL (WWJ/AP) - The parts shortage caused by a destructive fire at an auto supplier plant near Howell is starting to have a widespread impact.
General Motors said it's cancelled production shifts at assembly plants in Flint and also in Lordstown, Ohio, because of a fire at an auto parts plant that makes interior components for a number of automakers.
Other plants affected include Arlington, Texas; Detroit/Hamtramck; Lansing Delta Township and Flint in Michigan; Fort Wayne, Indian; and Oshawa Consolidated in Canada.
GM said it's running shorter shifts, rescheduling production and changing overtime plans at the plants.
At Flint Assembly, GM said most of the 2,100 employees building Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD trucks will stay home Friday. Production at the Flint plant was expected to resume Monday.
Meantime, WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert says Ford and Chrysler were monitoring inventory.
The Magna Atrium plant, which went up in flames Wednesday night, makes interior products. Magna management was working Thursday to see how much could be saved, and how much work will have to be shifted to a different facility.
Firefighters from Howell and several surrounding communities worked through the night into Thursday morning to battle the flames and smoke from a large fire at an auto parts plant on Grand River Avenue near Burkhardt Road.
A little more than half of the 187,000 square feet building remains standing after the devastating fire.
Employees were evacuated, but no injuries were reported. (More on this story).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
