BLOOMSBURG, PA – Sources are reporting that Chrysler and General Motors have slowed production at auto assembly plants in North America. When contacted by Automotive Fleet, sources declined to state the specific supplier, though a number of news outlets are reporting that the slowdown is due to a shortage of carpets and floormats.

A plant in Bloomsburg, Pa., owned by Swiss company Autoneum, had to shut down operations due to flooding from the Susquehanna River, according to a Reuters report.

“Due to a parts shortage from a supplier impacted by the recent floods on the East Coast, several Chrysler Group assembly plants have had to cancel or short shift production since Monday, Sept. 12,” Chrysler Group said in a statement to Automotive Fleet. “Chrysler Group continues to work in cooperation with the supplier on plans to restore operations as quickly as possible, but does not know at this time when operations might return to normal production.”

A source close to the situation said that for General Motors, two of the company’s plants will be running at reduced production levels. The source stated that the automaker's Lansing Grand River plant was down on Friday, Sept. 16, and that its Oshawa (Canada) plant ran at reduced production on Sept. 15 and 16. The part shortage does not affect all the car lines at the Oshawa plant, according to the source. In addition, the source said GM continues to monitor the situation and hopes to return to normal operations next week.

The Chevy Equinox is one of the models built GM's Oshawa plant. The Cadillac CTS is one of the models built at the automaker's Lansing, Mich. plant.

By Greg Basich