GM plans layoffs of two-thirds of workers at Kansas factory

GENERAL Motors (GM) said it will temporarily lay off two-thirds of the workers at its Fairfax assembly plant in Kansas as it prepares the facility to begin production of the next Chevrolet Bolt model.

“GM is investing approximately US$390 million in our Fairfax Assembly Plant to add production of the new Chevrolet Bolt EV,” GM said. “To facilitate the installation of new tooling, employees will be placed on a temporary layoff until production resumes in mid-2025.”

Cuts will begin for 1,695 workers in November, when production of the Chevrolet Malibu midsize sedan ends, said Automotive News, which first reported the layoffs.

The automaker will roll out a new generation of its Chevy Bolt next year. Bloomberg Intelligence analysts said in a report that they expect the budget-friendly model could help boost GM’s overall electric-vehicle output.

The Fairfax plant currently builds Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XT4 models. It employees about 2,275 workers, according to its website. Detroit-based GM employs roughly 163,000 people worldwide. BLOOMBERG