GENERAL Motors Corp says it will idle its Wisconsin sport-utility-vehicle factory on December 23, earlier than the company had expected. The factory employs 1,200 workers and makes the GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Suburban SUVs.
GM said yesterday that the market for those vehicles is shrinking, so the auto maker had to make the difficult decision to idle the factory early. The company had previously said it would shut down Janesville and three other pickup truck and SUV factories by 2010.