It was anticipated that the recent switch of General Motors' BrightDrop electric vans to the Chevrolet banner would boost sales. This remains to be seen and confirmed, but GM is said to be preparing for that to happen.
The company has committed to increasing production at its CAMI assembly plant from the first quarter of 2025, according to Unifor Local 88, which has been in contract talks with the automaker since September 9th.
Automotive News reports that the decision paves the way for the return to full-time work of some 1,300 employees at the Ingersoll, Ontario plant, after several years of irregular production that left most workers with part-time schedules.
In an update sent to members on September 9th, Local 88 management said it was “pleased and relieved” by the automaker's commitment to “return to a long overdue two-shift operation”.
GM Canada hasn’t confirmed nor denied a return to two-shift operation at the plant, but the company has indicated that its recent decision to integrate the BrightDrop brand into the Chevrolet banner could create the need for more production.
This seems an obvious move, given the network that Chevrolet offers to companies interested in BrightDrop vehicles.
GM spokesperson Nathalie Nankil stated in an email that “Our production schedules are based on market demand, and we see opportunity for growth potential under this new retail strategy.”
This is great news for the plant's workers, who have had to deal with significant downtime since 2020, starting with the pandemic and the resulting parts shortages.
In April 2022, the plant built its last Chevrolet Equinox and was shut down for around eight months to retool to build electric delivery vans.
Production of the BrightDrop vans began in late 2022, but battery shortages led to the site being closed for almost six months between late 2023 and early 2024. The CAMI site resumed production in April, but with a single shift, leaving around 1,100 people working for two weeks, then being shut down for two weeks, etc.