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General Motors says it's open to offers on Lordstown plant

The plant ceased production earlier this month.

General Motors followed up President Donald Trump's Wednesday remarks while in Ohio by suggesting that the company's recently shuttered Lordstown plant could still be sold.

"We have received inquiries from interested parties related to the Lordstown Complex and the Chevrolet Cruze," GM spokesperson Dan Flores told WKYC in an email. "We would consider any that are truly viable business opportunities."

The statement comes after Trump, while visiting an Army tank plant in Lima, Ohio yesterday, called for GM to reopen or sell the plant.

"What's going on with General Motors?" Trump said. "Get that plant open or sell it to somebody and they'll open it. Everybody wants it. Sell it to somebody or open it yourself. Get it going now and the UAW will help."

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The Lordstown plant ceased production of the Chevrolet Cruze earlier this month, ending work for about 1,400 people. The once-bustling factory had already lost two of its three shifts and 3,000 union jobs since 2017. 

The closure was part of a larger GM plan to lay off more than 14,000 jobs across North America. 

The United Auto Workers sued GM in attempt to stop it from closing the Lordstown location, as well as plants in Michigan and Maryland, claiming the union's current contract forbids the company from idling them.

"We remain open to talking with all affected stakeholders, but our main focus remains on our employees and offering them jobs in our plants where we have growth opportunities," Flores added. "We have now placed over 1,000 employees from our unallocated plants to other GM locations, and we have opportunities available for virtually all impacted employees."

RELATED: Cleveland car dealer reportedly had plan to save Lordstown GM plant that was rejected

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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