Efficiency Experts to Study 2 of GM’s Parts Operations

General Motors Corp. said Thursday that it is taking another step to shake up its parts-making operations by ordering efficiency and cost studies of its Inland Fisher Guide and Delco Remy divisions.

The units employ 48,800 of the 200,000 in GM’s components group, which makes 70% of the parts that go into GM vehicles.

The auto maker, which lost $7 billion in its North American operations last year, has said that it no longer will give preference to its own parts plants.

GM said the studies are separate from its announced plan to close 21 North American plants and eliminate more than 70,000 blue-collar jobs by 1995.

The studies will take about six months, GM said. They will try to determine which products GM makes economically, which it doesn’t and where it can best spend its limited capital, it said.

Anderson, Ind.-based Delco Remy makes electrical components such as generators, batteries, ignition systems and sensors for GM cars and trucks. Warren, Mich.-based Inland Fisher Guide makes seats, air bags, instrument panels, lights, bumpers and body hardware.