High demand for autos shortens summer break

5/21/2013

DETROIT — U.S. auto factories are forgoing their traditional two-week summer break and speeding up production to meet buyers’ growing demand for new cars and trucks.

Ford Motor Co. said today that 21 of its North American factories will shut for only one week. General Motors Co. won’t idle its factories at all, while Chrysler plans a two-week break at just four of its ten North American assembly plants. GM and Chrysler are rolling out critical new models.

The three Detroit carmakers traditionally shut factories for two weeks around July 4 to do maintenance and change the machinery for new models.