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The shut down comes at a time Hyundai's U.S. sales have fallen
more than the market average, and after it recently announced
plans to expand its SUV lineup and launch a pickup truck in the
market in an attempt to reverse the slide.
In a statement, Hyundai Motor said it would suspend operation of
its Alabama plant for two days - between Monday and Wednesday -
while Kia Motors will stop operation of its Georgia plant for
one day - between Monday and Tuesday.
The suspension is expected to result in lost production of about
3,000 vehicles for both, the Yonhap news agency earlier said on
Monday, citing a Hyundai Motor group spokesman. A Hyundai
spokeswoman declined to comment on the number.
Hurricane Irma took aim at heavily populated areas of central
Florida on Monday as it carved a path of destruction through the
state with high winds and storm surges that left millions
without power, ripped roofs off homes and flooded city streets.
Hyundai's U.S. sales are down nearly 11 percent this year
through July 31, worse than the overall 2.9 percent decline in
U.S. car and light truck sales.
Sales of the Sonata, once a pillar of Hyundai's U.S. franchise,
have fallen 30 percent through the first seven months of 2017.
In contrast, sales of Hyundai's current SUV lineup are up 11
percent for the first seven months of this year.
(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and
Muralikumar Anantharaman)
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