GM Unveils Unique Plan to Boost Equinox/Terrain Production

In a unique move, General Motors Canada will be coordinating production between its Ingersoll CAMI plant and Oshawa Assembly Plant  to increase production of the GMC Terrain and Chevrolet Equinox, adding 700 jobs starting later this year.

The vehicles have seen a doubling of demand in Canada.

In order to meet this growing customer demand GM is implementing a unique plan to add a third shift at its 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 that 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.”