GM Hikes Production of Its Biggest SUVs

General Motors Co. has added a Saturday overtime shift at its factory in Arlington, Tex., that makes fullsize SUVs, Reuters reports. The move will add at least 48,000 units of the highly profitable vehicles for the 2016 model year.

Sources tell Reuters GM also will boost production of its large pickup trucks, which are built elsewhere, by an unspecified amount.

The Arlington plant can assemble Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe vehicles at a combined rate of 400 units per normal shift, according to the facility's Web site. Reuters cites analysts who estimate the factory contributed about $3 billion to GM's $6.5 billion operating profit last year.

The plant, which currently operates around the clock Monday through Friday, boosted its output in the first half of 2915 by one-third to 162,400 units, according to Automotive News.

GM announced four weeks ago it will spend $1.4 billion to upgrade the Arlington complex over the next three years. The improvements will include new body and paint shops and upgrades to general assembly operations.