GM eyes more plant closures, job cuts

Cutting plants would help GM preserve cash.

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Corp. is likely to announce further production cuts and possible plant closures as early as next week as it deals with slumping sales and a collapse in its stock price, a person with knowledge of the company’s plans said Friday.

The person, who did not want to be identified because the plans are not finalized, said the cuts likely will hit engine, transmission and stamping operations to correspond with a June announcement that GM would close four truck and sport utility vehicle assembly plants.

The closure dates for those plants likely will be accelerated, the person said. GM announced last week that its Moraine, Ohio, SUV factory will close Dec. 23, and it has said it will idle assembly factories in Oshawa, Ontario; Toluca, Mexico; and Janesville, Wis., by 2010.

Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said last month that GM would have to make adjustments, particularly in stamping factories.

Further cuts could shore up GM’s share price, which lost nearly half its value this week, plunging to the lowest level in more than 58 years.

Industry analysts say closing factories or pulling off shifts will help GM cut costs and preserve cash at a critical time with the company losing billions and burning up cash at an alarming rate.

GM had $21 billion in cash and $5 billion available through credit lines at the end of June for total liquidity of $26 billion but has been burning up cash at a pace of more than $1 billion a month.

The company announced a plan in July that calls for cutting $10 billion in costs and raising an additional $5 billion through asset sales and borrowing through 2009.