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At the Chicago Assembly Plant, Ford employee Jeremy Kennedy mounts the engine and transmission to the subframe of a new 2020 Explorer. Ford is the source. DETROIT (AP) — Due to an ongoing shortage of semiconductor chips affecting the global automotive industry, Ford Motor Company will severely reduce its North American vehicle manufacturing in July. Due to the problem, the automaker announced on Wednesday that it will stop or decrease production at eight plants, including six in the United States, for varied periods of time next month and into early August. The Ford F-150 and Ford Bronco Sport, as well as the Ford Mustang and Ford Explorer, are among the vehicles affected. Separately, the carmaker announced that production of the Ford Ranger pickup truck and the Ford Bronco SUV, both of which have recently begun delivering to dealers, will be halted at its Michigan Assembly facility between July 5 and July 26 owing to a “unrelated part shortage.” A corporate spokeswoman declined to provide any additional information. The layoffs are the latest for Ford, which predicted earlier this year that the chip issue would cause it to lose almost half of its vehicle production in the second quarter. Because of the situation, Ford expects to lose $2.5 billion in earnings and 1.1 million units of production this year. Ford stated in a statement released Wednesday that the recent production changes are being made to prioritize “customers’ vehicles that were constructed without certain parts owing to the industry-wide semiconductor shortage.” The following vehicles and plants are affected: SUVs such as the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Nautilus: Beginning July 5, the Chicago Assembly Plant in Illinois will be closed for four weeks, with two shifts running the week of August 2. Ford F-150 pickup: Beginning July 12, two crews at the Dearborn Truck facility in Michigan will work for three weeks. Ford Mustang: Beginning July 12, the Flat Rock Assembly factory in Michigan will be closed for two weeks. Ford Bronco Sport SUV and Ford Maverick compact truck on the way: During the weeks of July 12 and 19, the Hermosillo Assembly Plant in Mexico will operate one of two shifts. The F-150 and Transit van lines at the Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri will be down the weeks of July 12 and 19, while the Transit line will be down the week of July 19. The Kentucky Truck Plant in Kentucky will be closed the week of July 12 and will run two shifts for three weeks commencing July 19. Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair: During the week of July 19, the Louisville Assembly facility in Kentucky will operate on a modified schedule. Ford Edge: Beginning July 19, the Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario, Canada, will stop producing the Ford Edge crossover for three weeks. The Lincoln Nautilus crossover is also produced at this site. According to consultancy firm AlixPartners, the persistent semiconductor chip scarcity will lose the global automotive sector $110 billion in revenue in 2021./nRead More

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