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GENERAL MOTORS IS GOING TO OPERATE CRUCIAL SUV PLANT DURING PANDEMIC

The Work Is Expected To Only Take One Week

2021 GMC Yukon Denali Deluxe
Photo Copyright MuscleCarsAndTrucks.com

General Motors recently announced that it will suspend production at its automotive manufacturing plants indefinitely, and will be repurposing two facilities to produce masks and ventilators to combat the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. However, there’s one exception to GM’s plant closures: the Arlington, Texas assembly plant.

This golden goose of a facility is where the automaker builds all of its highly profitable full-size sport utility vehicles – a segment where General Motors absolutely dominates. Without the sweeping disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, this facility was scheduled to launch the all-new 2021 Cadillac Escalade, 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban, and 2021 GMC Yukon family in a few short months from now.

A recent message to GM employees at the Arlington Assembly Plant is asking workers on a voluntary basis to come in on Monday. According to WXYZ, the message states:

Our customers are counting on our trucks and it is important for the company to changeover to our new trucks as quickly as possible. To this end, in the next hours, we will begin calling our full seniority hourly employees to volunteer to commit to work next week beginning Monday, March 30 on day shift. In addition, volunteers will be solicited for all three shifts in maintenance and repair. Temporary workers will be called if more volunteers are needed.

2021 Cadillac Escalade Platinum
Photo copyright MuscleCarsandTrucks.com

Unlike states like Michigan, Texas does not have a “stay at home” order in place. At least, not yet. However, the work is not expected to take long.

“This work is expected to last one week or less after which all volunteers would return to layoff status. This temporary restart of work to finish the build out of current models is only at Arlington Assembly, other GM locations are not affected,” General Motors said in a statement.

For safety measures, GM says that it will have “numerous safeguards” to protect workers from COVID19, such as thermal temperature scanning, individual questionnaires, additional personal protective equipment and cleaning crews and limiting work to one shift per day for social distance.

These safeguards unfortunately do little to detect COVID19 carriers who would otherwise be asymptomatic.

General Motors SUV
Photo Copyright MuscleCarsandTrucks.com

Written by Manoli Katakis

Muscle Cars & Trucks was founded by Manoli Katakis - an automotive media veteran that has been covering the latest car news since 2009. His journalism has uncovered dozens of major product changes, updates, plans, and cancellations long before automakers were ready to make things official.

Some highlights over the years of his reporting include the uncovering of the Zora trademark before anybody else reported on the coming of a mid-engine Corvette, as well as the dead-accurate reporting of the coming of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, two years before it hit the market, and even before the debut of the concept vehicle. This type of reporting has immediately continued here, with reports of the original seventh-generation Camaro plans being shelved, as well as what's in store for the Chevrolet Silverado.

Some of his work can be found on massive automotive media outlets, such as Motor1. He also has been a guest on the 910AM Radio Station with Detroit News auto critic Henry Payne, as well as the enthusiast-oriented Camaro Show podcast.

Over the years, Manoli has interviewed various automotive industry titans, leaders, and people that make things happen otherwise. These include figureheads such as GM CEO Mary Barra, GM President Mark Reuss, automotive aftermarket icon Ken Lingenfelter, Dodge firebrand Tim Kuniskis, along with various chief engineers of vehicles such as the Ford F-150 & Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro & Corvette, and many more.

At MC&T, Manoli is taking his journalism expertise, deeply planted sources, driving abilities, and automotive industry knowledge to new levels, covering more vehicles and brands than ever before. This is the place where you will continue to read groundbreaking stories about American performance vehicles, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Here is where you’ll also read insights and quotes from various automotive subject matter experts on the latest relevant products, as well as some of the latest official news from their manufacturers.

Fun facts: he also once beat Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner in an autocross with a Chevrolet Bolt EV. The biggest vehicle he’s ever driven is a John Deere mining truck. Besides a go-kart, the smallest vehicle he’s driven has been a Hyundai i10. He’s also spent time in the cockpit of various American performance vehicle icons, including the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Dodge Challenger Demon, and Ford Mustang GT350R. He has reviewed dozens of trucks, SUVs, and performance vehicles over the years.

One of his favorite new vehicles on the market today happens to be the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison. He is also a card carrying member of the Sports Car Club of America, and regularly participates in Detroit Region autocross events.

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