English 
Spanish 
4 min read
0 comments
Chevrolet announces the shutdown of its factory for three months, impacting thousands of workers and the production of 15 Onix and Onix Plus.
The Brazilian automotive industry is facing a new period of adjustments, reflecting market behavior and the strategies of automakers.
Chevrolet, one of the most traditional brands in the sector, confirmed a partial shutdown at its Gravataí unit, in Rio Grande do Sul, directly impacting the production of the Onix and Onix Plus, two of its most popular models in the country.
The decision, revealed by Autoesporte portal this Friday (07), affects workers and should result in a significant reduction in the volume of vehicles manufactured.
- 'Toll scam': attempts soar
- Auto repair shop owner caught cheating customers after undercover operation uncovered his practices
- Gas station scam raises alarm bells at ANP, which increases inspections
- Fiat Grande Panda will replace the Argo in Brazil and promises innovation in the compact segment
Strike and layoff at GM
According to Valcir Ascari, president of the Gravataí Metalworkers Union, workers at the unit will be laid off from April 22, with an expected return within 90 days.
During this period, the automaker will stop producing approximately 15 thousand units of the Onix and Onix Plus models.
According to Autoesporte, when contacted, General Motors confirmed the measure and clarified that it is “a period of temporary suspension of employment contracts (layoff), which should partially affect production”.
The company highlighted that the initiative aims to adapt production to market demand.
Another stoppage at the unit
This is the second interruption announced for the Gravataí plant in 2025. Less than two weeks earlier, Chevrolet had announced that the production line would be stopped between February 17 and March 17, using time off and collective vacations.
At the time, the company justified that the measure was “necessary for updating and modernizing processes in some areas of production”.
Union tries to negotiate conditions
Although the strike has already been confirmed, the workers' union is seeking to reduce the layoff period from three months to two months and eight days.
In addition, the entity negotiates the maintenance of benefits such as food vouchers during employees' absence.
GM acknowledged the ongoing negotiations and informed, through a note, that “it is in the process of negotiating with the Metalworkers Union of Gravataí”.
High stocks and falling sales
Although the automaker did not provide details about the reasons for the strike, Autoesporte claims to have found that two main factors influenced the decision. One of them is the high volume of vehicles in storage.
According to industry sources, since the end of January the automaker has been facing difficulties in reducing stocks, which remained at the level of 20 thousand units accumulated between October and November of the previous year.
Another point of attention is the commercial performance of the Onix and Onix Plus. Data from the National Federation of Motor Vehicle Distribution (fenabrave) show that, in 2024, the Onix had 97.503 licensed units, a drop of 4,5% compared to the 102.043 registrations in 2023.
The Onix Plus showed an even more significant decline, with 59.960 units licensed in 2024 against 74.887 in 2023, representing a reduction of approximately 20%.
Investments and preparation for a new model
The second factor influencing the shutdown is related to the factory's preparation for the production of the new version of the Onix.
The model's restyling is scheduled for the coming months and is part of GM's investments in Brazil.
The automaker plans to apply R$ 7 billion in the country by 2028, with R$1,2 billion specifically earmarked for the Gravataí unit.
In addition to the new Onix and Onix Plus, the factory will also be responsible for producing an entry-level SUV for the brand.
With these changes, industry sources speculate that production could stabilize and eventually allow the return of the third work shift, suspended since the pandemic.
Future scenario and sector expectations
The shutdown reflects a moment of transition for GM and the Brazilian automotive industry.
With a more cautious market and fluctuating demand, automakers need to balance production and sales to avoid high inventories.
The arrival of a new model and investments in modernizing the Gravataí unit may indicate a more stable future recovery.
According to experts, it now remains to be seen how the market will react to the new version of the Onix and whether the strategies adopted by GM will guarantee production stability in the coming years.
