YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — Two of the largest American automakers have announced the closure of two legacy testing facilities in Arizona amid significant restructuring and layoffs in recent weeks. General Motors (GM) and Stellantis have announced restructuring and layoffs in recent weeks including their two facilities in western Arizona.(azfamily)The auto industry is facing a significant slump in sales amid increased competition from Asian carmakers, persistent inflation, and a tight supply chain.GM’s Desert Proving Grounds shuttering in YumaGM announced on Friday that it was laying off about 1,000 workers worldwide as it tries to shed costs from an industry that has been tumultuous in recent years.Although the layoffs were largely billed as impacting “mostly white collar” workers, Arizona’s Family has learned those impacts hit Yuma County, which led to the layoff of 33 workers at GM’s Desert Proving Grounds.Aerial view of the Yuma Desert Proving Ground campus, including a 3.1 mile wide road, circular loops, dynamics pads and other testing,(General Motors)“In order to win in this competitive market, we need to optimize for speed and excellence. This includes operating with efficiency, ensuring we have the right team structure, and focusing on our top priorities as a business,” said Kevin Kelly, senior director of corporate relations at GM.Last April, the Associated Press reported that about 5,000 GM white-collar workers at General Motors took buyout offers, which the automaker said at the time was enough to avoid layoffs.GM has about 150,000 employees worldwide, the vast majority of whom are in the Detroit suburb of Warren, Michigan. According to the AP, the company had 76,000 white-collar workers worldwide at the end of last year.At the time, GM said it couldn’t completely rule out layoffs in the future, saying that “involuntary separations are not a consideration at this point.”[embedded content]Stellantis selling off its facilities in Mohave CountyFILE – The Stellantis sign is seen ou …
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