International Trucks closes Ohio plant building medium-duty models, ending manufacturing agreement September 30.
General Motors confirms production of Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD and 6500HD models ends September 30. International Trucks is selling the Ohio factory that builds them. Sales dropped 19.2% last year.
The factory sale forces GM out of medium-duty commercial vehicles where Ford sold 2,331 heavy trucks through March versus GM's 1,273 units. International announced the Ohio plant sale March 30, according to GM's manufacturing agreement statement released this month.
Manufacturing Agreement Termination
GM issued a statement confirming the production halt: "GM will end production of the Chevrolet Silverado 4500 HD, 5500 HD, 6500 HD, and select Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana Cutaway van variants following the September 30 conclusion of our manufacturing agreement with International Motors." The agreement covered vehicles built at International's Ohio assembly plant since the partnership began. GM does not own the facility or production equipment. International Trucks announced the factory sale March 30, giving GM six months notice. The partnership allowed GM to offer medium-duty commercial vehicles without building dedicated manufacturing capacity. Express and Savana cutaway variants also face termination under the same agreement.
Sales Decline Accelerates
Silverado medium-duty sales fell 19.2% in 2024 to 8,341 units. Through March 2025, sales dropped another 37.4% to 1,273 trucks. Ford sold 2,331 heavy trucks in the same three-month period, capturing 64.7% more volume than GM. The 2024 decline represents 1,976 fewer trucks sold versus 2023. March year-to-date figures show GM losing 759 sales compared to the same 2024 period. Simple arithmetic shows GM's market share in medium-duty trucks shrinking from an estimated 15.2% to 9.8% based on comparative Ford data. The sales trajectory suggests GM would finish 2025 with roughly 5,100 medium-duty trucks sold if current trends continued through December.
Ford Maintains Production Control
Ford builds its medium-duty trucks in-house at the Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, maintaining direct control over production schedules and capacity. GM's reliance on International Trucks created vulnerability to third-party business decisions. Chevrolet's recent production challenges highlight the importance of manufacturing control. Ford's F-650 and F-750 trucks compete directly with the discontinued Silverado models. The Ford facility employs 1,800 workers versus International's smaller Ohio operation. Ford's integrated approach allows for quicker responses to market demand and regulatory changes affecting commercial vehicle specifications.
Portfolio Evaluation Lacks Timeline
GM promises to "evaluate future portfolio options for medium-duty" vehicles but provides no timeline or investment commitment. The company maintains Express and Savana van production at other facilities while cutting only cutaway variants. This selective approach suggests medium-duty trucks may not return to GM's lineup. Commercial vehicle regulations increasingly favor electric powertrains, yet GM offers no electric medium-duty models. The evaluation period could extend indefinitely without concrete milestones. Competitors like Freightliner and Isuzu continue expanding medium-duty offerings while GM retreats from the segment entirely.
International Trucks employed 2,400 workers at the Ohio facility as of January 2024. The plant closure affects additional commercial vehicle manufacturers beyond GM partnerships. The complete GM model history and specifications are catalogued in the Global Auto Index manufacturer database.
