10:41 06-01-2026

GM pauses Flint Assembly, halting Silverado HD and Sierra HD production

General Motors has confirmed that the Flint Assembly plant in Michigan will remain idle through January 26, 2026, extending a pause that began ahead of the holidays on December 24, 2025. The site builds the Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, so the halt touches one of the company’s most profitable arenas: heavy-duty pickups. GM’s wording is notably restrained, describing the pause as scheduled maintenance and project work, without details on scope or end goals. Given the stakes in this segment, the low-key messaging stands out.

For the city and the region, the pause is significant: roughly 5,000 UAW-represented employees work at the site, and even a temporary stop ripples through the local economy, from small businesses to services. Union sources indicate that employees affected by the temporary layoff will retain eligibility for pay and benefits during the downtime, and the company is expected to file the necessary paperwork for assistance.

Why it is happening now isn’t being disclosed. Industry watchers link the project work to preparing the plant for future changes—upgrading lines or retuning them for product and powertrain updates. Automakers often use the long holiday window to tackle jobs that can’t be done while vehicles roll off the line, and this timing aligns with that playbook.