Ford announces temporary halt to production of F-150s

[TexasTowelie]

May 9 (UPI) -- The Ford Motor Company announced Wednesday it will temporarily halt production of F-150s at two of its U.S. factories due to a fire at one of its parts suppliers.

F-150 production will be suspended at Ford's plants in Dearborn, Mich., and Kansas City, Mo. At the company's plant in Louisville, Ky., production will be decreased. It's not yet clear when F-150 production will return to normal levels.

"This is a fluid situation, but we are working closely with our supplier partners to do everything we can to limit the impact on our production," Joe Hinrichs, executive vice president and president of Ford's Global Operations, said in a statement. "It's a full team effort and we're confident that any impacts will be short term."

Hinrichs added that the F-150 inventories are plentiful enough to not have any impact on current customer demands.

Read more: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2018/05/09/Ford-announces-temporary-halt-to-production-of-F-150s/7911525907624/

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Ford forced to stop all F-150 production because of supplier fire

Adding a link.

The dreaded black swan.

Ford forced to stop all F-150 production because of supplier fire

Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press Published 5:18 p.m. ET May 9, 2018 | Updated 8:50 p.m. ET May 9, 2018

Ford suspended all production Wednesday of its profit-driving F-150 pickup, the nation's best-selling vehicle for more than 35 years, because of a "black swan" parts shortage. ... The production halt was caused by a fire May 2 at a parts factory in small-town Michigan that rippled through the North American auto industry but hit Ford hardest. Production at General Motors, Fiat Chrysler and Mercedes also was disrupted.

"The impact on everybody else is going to pale compared to Ford," said Abhay (Abe) Vadhavkar, director of manufacturing, engineering and technology at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor. "For Ford, this is potentially enormous." ... Joe Hinrichs, Ford executive vice president and president of Global Operations, acknowledged in a briefing late Wednesday, "We have to rebuild the whole supply chain."

F-150 trucks make up a multibillion-dollar brand that drives profits for the Dearborn-based automaker. An analyst recently calculated that the enterprise value of the F-Series trucks is greater than that of Ford overall. Nearly 900,000 were sold in 2017 at an average cost of $46,000. And January through April sales are up 4% from the same time last year.
....

Despite the damage at the 208,000-square-foot plant, some workers were told they could return to work that day, the State Journal reported. “The blaze apparently originated in an area of the plant called the ‘tunnel,’ where workers put magnesium scraps on a conveyor belt to be melted down." ... City officials are discussing setting up of a temporary food bank program in anticipation of a possible long-term shutdown.

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: [e-mail] or 313-222-6512. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid.

[wonkwest]

2. They're like driving a boat

My father has one. I felt like I was on the Cal-Sag managing a boat. So weird on a highway.

I drive a Corolla. I'm sure that's part of it. But, when I visit and have to drive that beast, I feel like no one needs that much car. I'm a little afraid of it. "Am I even in the lane at this point?" It's anyone's guess. Good luck, oncoming!

[AncientGeezer]

3. F-150 is a "beast"? It's not a Kenworth..it's a standard sized pick-up.

It's a really good driving vehicle...

[pintobean]

4. Don't drive it then.

Putting other people on the road at risk is not funny.