With the aim of dealing with a predicted increase in demand, and to make up for production lost from a large-scale factory consolidation declared earlier in the year, operations at factories of General Motors Corp. in Kansas, Michigan and Indiana, will got to 24-hours.

As per the automaker, from January, a third shift at its Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan. will be added, which will be followed in March or April by third shifts at factories in Delta Township, Mich., near Lansing, and in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Tim Lee, group vice president for global manufacturing specified that the added shifts will be beneficial for nearly 2,400 production workers, who would be hired back to work. An additional 600 workers will also be hired back at parts factories across the country.

Lee added that with these increases (announced Tuesday), GM will be able to raise North American production from about 1.9 million vehicles this year to 2.8 million in
2010. The company had also announced a few other production increases in summer, which will also help the company to enhance production numbers.

Mark LaNeve, vice president of U. S. sales, feels that the increase becomes necessary as sales are expected to grow next year.

He informed further, “GM's September sales have been slow after the end of the government's Cash for Clunkers program. The company, though, predicts an increase in total U. S. sales from 10.5 million this year to 11.5 million to 12 million next year. GM has about a 40-day supply of large crossover vehicles, a 52-day supply of Malibus and a 60-day supply of Silverado pickup trucks, according to Ward's AutoInfoBank.”