2010 Chevrolet Equinox – Click above for high-res image gallery
Continued strong demand for General Motors' new Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain has triggered the automaker to add extra production capacity for the crossovers at the its Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant. As you may recall, last year, GM added an extra shift of production at the Ingersoll plant that has always built the Equinox, but apparently that still isn't enough bandwidth. Thus, the body shop at Ingersoll will be expanded over the next several months to provide the extra stamping capacity needed to supply Oshawa. The bodyshells will then be shipped 120 miles east to Oshawa where a third shift will build the Equinox alongside the Impala.
With the new production capacity, all laid off employees at Ingersoll will be back at work and 70 workers will be hired. The Oshawa ramp-up will lead to the recall of 600 employees there, many of whom lost their jobs when full-size pickup truck production ended there last year. Production of the Equinox in Oshawa will start this fall.
Photos copyright ©2009 John Neff / Weblogs, Inc.
Mar 26, 2010 07:00 ET
Growing Customer Demand Drives Additional Production of Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain
- Equinox/Terrain combined sales up 100% in Canada and 128% in US over last quarter
- Oshawa Plant to add third shift to begin producing Chevrolet Equinox
- CAMI Plant further expanding Body Shop capacity and increasing GMC Terrain volume
- Plan results in return of almost 700 Canadian jobs
OSHAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 26, 2010) - In order to meet growing customer demand for hot-selling Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain models, General Motors is implementing a unique plan to add a third shift at its award-winning Oshawa Assembly Plant to support new Equinox production there.
The Equinox and Terrain are currently produced at GM's CAMI Automotive plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. Under the plan, CAMI's Body Shop capacity will be expanded to produce extra Chevrolet Equinox units beyond the plant's existing capacity to paint and assemble them. These Equinox body assemblies will then be shipped to the Oshawa plant for paint and final assembly alongside the current Chevrolet Impala production. The plan also enables CAMI to increase GMC Terrain volumes.
"This plan for CAMI and Oshawa allows us to meet customer demand for hot products while avoiding a potential production over-capacity situation by creatively using our assets and facilities," said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. "This innovative approach enables us to ramp up in a timely and cost-effective way and highlights the importance of these plants and communities in our North American plans."
The third shift to support Equinox production in Oshawa will be added on the Consolidated Line in October and is expected to return approximately 600 employees to the plant. At CAMI, all laid off employees will soon be recalled and the additional body shop volume required to support the Equinox build in Oshawa is expected to result in the need for approximately 70 new jobs, at CAMI by August of this year.
"This is the latest in a series of very positive growth initiatives and new product mandates for our Canadian facilities," said Kevin Williams, president of GM Canada. "By the end of this year, we expect to recall all laid-off production employees in Oshawa to support the new Equinox, Regal and Camaro convertible production planned there and, at CAMI, we will even be hiring some new workers – truly great news for the employees, dealers, suppliers and communities affected."
General Motors of Canada (GMCL) is headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario and employs 9,000 people nationwide. GM of Canada manufactures vehicles and powertrains, and markets the full range of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles and related services through the largest automotive dealer network in the country.
Growing Customer Demand Drives Additional Production of Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain
- Equinox/Terrain combined sales up 100% in Canada and 128% in US over last quarter
- Oshawa Plant to add third shift to begin producing Chevrolet Equinox
- CAMI Plant further expanding Body Shop capacity and increasing GMC Terrain volume
- Plan results in return of almost 700 Canadian jobs
OSHAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 26, 2010) - In order to meet growing customer demand for hot-selling Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain models, General Motors is implementing a unique plan to add a third shift at its award-winning Oshawa Assembly Plant to support new Equinox production there.
The Equinox and Terrain are currently produced at GM's CAMI Automotive plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. Under the plan, CAMI's Body Shop capacity will be expanded to produce extra Chevrolet Equinox units beyond the plant's existing capacity to paint and assemble them. These Equinox body assemblies will then be shipped to the Oshawa plant for paint and final assembly alongside the current Chevrolet Impala production. The plan also enables CAMI to increase GMC Terrain volumes.
"This plan for CAMI and Oshawa allows us to meet customer demand for hot products while avoiding a potential production over-capacity situation by creatively using our assets and facilities," said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. "This innovative approach enables us to ramp up in a timely and cost-effective way and highlights the importance of these plants and communities in our North American plans."
The third shift to support Equinox production in Oshawa will be added on the Consolidated Line in October and is expected to return approximately 600 employees to the plant. At CAMI, all laid off employees will soon be recalled and the additional body shop volume required to support the Equinox build in Oshawa is expected to result in the need for approximately 70 new jobs, at CAMI by August of this year.
"This is the latest in a series of very positive growth initiatives and new product mandates for our Canadian facilities," said Kevin Williams, president of GM Canada. "By the end of this year, we expect to recall all laid-off production employees in Oshawa to support the new Equinox, Regal and Camaro convertible production planned there and, at CAMI, we will even be hiring some new workers – truly great news for the employees, dealers, suppliers and communities affected."
General Motors of Canada (GMCL) is headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario and employs 9,000 people nationwide. GM of Canada manufactures vehicles and powertrains, and markets the full range of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles and related services through the largest automotive dealer network in the country.
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