Restructuring And Other Initiatives

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

We have executed various restructuring and other initiatives and we may execute additional initiatives in the future, if necessary, to streamline manufacturing capacity and reduce other costs to improve the utilization of remaining facilities. To the extent these programs involve voluntary separations, a liability is generally recorded at the time offers to employees are accepted. To the extent these programs provide separation benefits in accordance with pre-existing agreements, a liability is recorded once the amount is probable and reasonably estimable. If employees are involuntarily terminated, a liability is generally recorded at the communication date. Related charges are recorded in Automotive and other cost of sales and Automotive and other selling, general and administrative expense.

The following table summarizes the reserves and charges related to restructuring and other initiatives, including postemployment benefit reserves and charges:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2019			2018			2017
Balance at beginning of period	$	1,122		$	227		$	268
Additions, interest accretion and other	629			1,637			330
Payments	(1,101		)	(600		)	(315		)
Revisions to estimates and effect of foreign currency	(86		)	(142		)	(56		)
Balance at end of period	$	564		$	1,122		$	227

In the year ended December 31, 2019, restructuring and other initiatives primarily included actions related to our announced transformation activities, which include unallocation of products to certain manufacturing facilities and other employee separation programs. We recorded charges of $1.8 billion, primarily in GMNA, in the year ended December 31, 2019 consisting of $1.3 billion primarily in non-cash accelerated depreciation and pension curtailment and other charges, not reflected in the table above, and $535 million primarily in supplier-related charges and employee-related separation charges, which are reflected in the table above. We recorded charges of $1.3 billion, primarily in GMNA, in the year ended December 31, 2018 consisting of $1.0 billion in employee separations and other charges, which are reflected in the table above, and $301 million primarily in non-cash accelerated depreciation, not reflected in the table above. These programs have a total cost since inception of $3.1 billion and were complete at December 31, 2019. We incurred $1.1 billion in cash outflows resulting from these restructuring actions, primarily for employee separation payments and supplier-related payments in the year ended December 31, 2019. We expect additional cash outflows related to these activities of approximately $400 million to be substantially complete by the end of 2020.

In the year ended December 31, 2018, restructuring and other initiatives in GMI primarily included the closure of a facility and other restructuring actions in Korea and employee separation programs. We recorded charges of $1.0 billion related to Korea, net of noncontrolling interests. These charges consisted of $537 million in non-cash asset impairments and other charges, not reflected in the table above, and $495 million in employee separation charges, which are reflected in the table above. We incurred $775 million in cash outflows resulting from these Korea restructuring actions, primarily for employee separations and statutory pension payments in the year ended December 31, 2018. These programs were substantially complete at December 31, 2018.

In the year ended December 31, 2017, restructuring and other initiatives primarily included restructuring actions announced in the three months ended June 30, 2017 in GMI. These actions primarily related to the withdrawal of Chevrolet from the Indian and South African markets at the end of 2017 and the transition of our South Africa manufacturing operations to Isuzu Motors. We continue to manufacture vehicles in India for sale to certain export markets. We recorded charges of $460 million in GMI primarily consisting of $297 million of asset impairments, sales incentives, inventory provisions and other charges, not reflected in the table above, and $163 million of dealer restructurings, employee separations and other contract cancellation costs, which are reflected in the table above. We completed these programs in GMI in 2017. Other GMI restructuring programs reflected in the table above include separation and other programs in Australia, Korea and India and the withdrawal of the Chevrolet brand from Europe. Collectively, these programs had a total cost of $892 million since inception in 2013 through the completion of the programs in the year ended December 31, 2017.