Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Ford Pauses SUV Output in Kentucky After Supplier Fire, Prioritizes F‑Series

A Novelis hot mill outage expected to last into early 2026 is tightening aluminum supplies for Ford.

Overview

  • Production of the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator at the Kentucky Truck Plant is halted for about a week, according to a UAW memo reported by The Wall Street Journal.
  • Ford is concentrating available aluminum on its F‑Series trucks, with Super Duty assembly continuing while officials caution supplies could be tight in the near term.
  • The September fire at Novelis’s Oswego, New York, facility damaged the hot mill, which the company says will not be operational until the first quarter of 2026.
  • Novelis supplies roughly 40% of the U.S. auto industry’s aluminum sheet, and Ford has deployed a dedicated team to work with the supplier and explore alternative sources.
  • Ford has trimmed output at other sites, including a reduced shift at Louisville Assembly and a temporary pause for the F‑150 Lightning in Dearborn, as analysts warn prolonged truck disruptions could shave up to about $1 billion from earnings.