LOS ANGELES -- General Motors Friday idled production at three more U.S. assembly plants, bringing to six the number of plant production stoppages this week caused by a shortage of parts from Mexico.
The latest shutdowns began with first shift Friday at the Fairfax plant near Kansas City, Kan., which builds the Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCrosse sedan, according to a bulletin on the Web site of UAW Local 31, which represents hourly workers at the Fairfax plant. Production is expected to resume at 9:30 p.m. central on Sunday.
GM has also canceled work Friday at Detroit-Hamtramck and Wentzville (Mo.), GM spokesman Chris Lee said. The plants only had one shift today and none scheduled this weekend. Production is expected to resume at the normal time on Monday.
Detroit automakers have been forced to idle several North American assembly plants this week because of a disruption of components shipped from Mexico following Hurricane Alex.
More Detroit 3 pain
On Thursday, GM canceled both Friday shifts at its truck assembly plant in Flint, Mich., because of a parts shortage created by hurricane disruptions, according to a message left Thursday on the Flint plant employee hotline.
GM had already canceled both Wednesday shifts and the first shift Thursday at its SUV plant in Arlington, Texas, according to the Web site of UAW Local 276. Production at Arlington -- also caused by a parts shortage -- resumed with the factory's second shift Thursday, GM spokeswoman Kim Carpenter said.
Ford halted production early Thursday at its assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario, because of a shortage of parts bound from Mexico, Ford spokesman Todd Nissen said.
The Oakville plant builds the Ford Edge and Flex crossovers, as well as the Lincoln MKT and MKX. It is possible that other Ford plants may be idled, depending on the extent of shipping delays affecting its supply base.
“We've not been told of any other additional shutdowns but it's a fluid situation and we're monitoring it closely,” Nissen said Thursday.
Chrysler suspended output of the Jeep Wrangler at its plant in Toledo, Ohio, on Thursday and blamed a delay in components coming from Mexico.
Severe flooding in and around Monterrey, Mexico, caused by Hurricane Alex and another tropical storm crippled highway and rail lines used by auto suppliers to ship parts across the U.S. border.
Fiesta late
Mexico is a major production source of auto components, as well as final vehicle assembly.
Earlier this week, Ford said initial shipments of the new Fiesta subcompact -- also built in Mexico -- would be delayed because of the hurricane damage.
The highway linking Monterrey, Mexico, and the Nueva Laredo border crossing, the crossing through which most U.S.-Mexico trade travels, was shut down for much of the past week.
Limited amounts of commercial truck traffic is beginning to move through the highway and over the border after the highway was partially reopened today, according U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesman Rick Pauza.
“For the better part of a week, it was completely impassable,” Pauza said.
