WARREN, Ohio – The final group of hourly employees placed on temporary layoff in January at Ultium Cells LLC’s Lordstown plant returned to work Monday as the factory begins to ramp up production this week, a union official said.
Workers began returning to the plant in phases starting July 27, said George Goranitis, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112, which represents hourly employees at Ultium. The remaining employees on temporary layoff reported Monday, he added.
“Production will be ramping back up here soon once all necessary training has been completed,” Goranitis said. “We are encouraged to see our members returning to work and look forward to getting operations back up and running.”
Ultium’s Lordstown plant – a joint venture between General Motors Co. and LG Energy Solution – manufactures battery cells for GM’s electric vehicle portfolio. In October, GM and Ultium announced that the plant would permanently lay off 448 hourly workers and place another 850 UAW members on temporary layoff. The automaker said the layoffs were the result of weakened demand in the EV sector caused in part by the suspension of a $7,500 federal tax credit program. The layoffs took effect Jan. 5.
Ultium has since pivoted its Spring Hill, Tenn., plant to producing components for LG’s battery storage systems, leaving the Lordstown facility to manufacture cells specifically for GM’s EV lineup.
Tom Gallagher, vice president of operations at Ultium, told Reuters during an interview last week that approximately 1,400 would be employed at the plant once production resumes.
Ultium commissioned its Lordstown factory in 2022 and celebrated production of its 100 millionth battery cell in 2024.