Summer vacation will be cut short for more auto factory workers this year, as carmakers try to keep up with heightened demand.
Detroit automakers plan to reduce their annual two-week July shutdowns at dozens of North American plants that produce popular models such as Ford Motor Co.’s F-Series pickup trucks and Chrysler Group LLC’s Jeeps.
“This sends a strong signal that the industry is in a healthy place,” Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting at market researcher LMC Automotive, said in a telephone interview. “Competitively, automakers don’t want to be caught without vehicles that consumers want.”
Ford, General Motors Co. and Chrysler — which have collectively grown their market share this year for the first time in two decades — have their North American plants running at or above capacity, meaning nearly all operate two shifts, with many running three. And this year, they are trying to squeeze every bit of production from their plants.