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Aluminum Shortage From Novelis Fire Forces Stellantis Jeep Pause as Ford Triages Output

A fire-damaged Novelis hot mill has choked a key U.S. aluminum supply line through early 2026.

Overview

  • Stellantis idled Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer production at Warren Truck beginning the week of Oct. 13, with a three-week pause slated to end Nov. 3.
  • Ford halted F-150 Lightning assembly on Oct. 13 and scaled back Kentucky Truck Plant output of the Expedition and Lincoln Navigator, preserving capacity for pickups.
  • Novelis says its Oswego, N.Y., hot mill will not return to operation until the first quarter of fiscal 2026, constraining a supplier that provides roughly 40% of U.S. auto aluminum sheet.
  • Automakers are diverting scarce aluminum to high-volume trucks, with Stellantis prioritizing Ram 1500 production in Sterling Heights and Ford safeguarding F-Series output.
  • Analysts warn the disruption could dent Ford’s fourth-quarter profits by up to more than $1 billion and heighten layoff risks as alternatives face tariffs and limited global capacity.