Lordstown remains confident in Cruze, despite sales drop in January

LORDSTOWN

The leaders of the United Auto Workers unions at the General Motors Lordstown Assembly Plant remain confident in the compact car their members build.

On Tuesday, GM posted a 23.2 percent year-over-year drop in sales for the Chevrolet Cruze in January. The Cruze posted 14,362 sales in January 2016 compared with 18,693 sales reported in January 2015.

“All in all we are still pleased that our current model sold as well as it did over its lifetime,” said Glenn Johnson, president of the UAW Local 1112, who represents the Lordstown assembly workers.

The current model has been built at the plant since November 2010. In October 2014, an updated version of the Cruze came out and this spring the revamped, next-generation Cruze with new design, updated technology and enhanced safety features will hit sales floors.

“We are right on schedule at this point in time,” Johnson said on the production of the next-generation Cruze.

UAW Local 1714 President Robert Morales, who represents the fabrication plant workers in Lordstown, believes the committed Cruze customers are waiting for the next-generation to come out.

Read more about this and other automakers figures in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.