GM May Add Truck Capacity

Bloomberg News is reporting that General Motors Corp. may boost its ability to build high-profit light trucks by as much as 450,000 units over the next two years, an analyst estimated. The largest automaker is boosting production of two midsize sport-utility vehicles by 250,000 this year by converting a factory in Oklahoma City from cars to trucks. The factory will begin shipping extended versions of the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy next month. General Motors may boost light-truck production more next year by increasing line speeds at Oklahoma City and adding a third shift at a factory in Pontiac, Michigan, Merrill Lynch & Co. analyst John Casesa said in a report. Each move may add another 100,000 vehicles, said Casesa, who doesn't own the shares and whose company has a banking relationship with the automaker. "They're going to keep their foot on this truck pedal," Casesa said in an interview. "This is the driver of profits."