Executives are said to be targeting production increases of at least 48,000 vehicles annually, and potentially as high as 60,000 units, unnamed sources have told Reuters.
Interestingly, sales of several large GM SUVs are down for the first seven months of the year. Deliveries of the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon variants are down by three to five percent, while the Tahoe has experienced an 11-percent decline.
The Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV have proven strong sellers, with deliveries through July up by 27 and 48 percent, respectively. Demand for the GMC Sierra pickup is up by nine percent during the same period, as Chevrolet Silverado sales jumped by 17.5 percent.
The company’s Arlington, Texas, plant currently builds the Suburban, Yukon and Escalade. Adding Saturday overtime shifts is expected to help meet part of the boosted production goals. Analysts cited by Reuters claim the factory accounts for nearly half of GM’s annual operating profit, thanks to the relatively high margins for its model range.
“Sales of our full-size SUVs are very strong and we have been working to find creative ways to increase production to meet demand and rebuild our inventories,” said GM spokesman James Cain.
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