Ford has cancelled the planned summer shutdowns at four of its F‑Series truck production plants—Dearborn, Kentucky, Kansas City, and Ohio—to keep the flagship line running amid a severe aluminum shortage caused by a fire at Novelis’s Oswego, New York, plant in September 2025.
The Novelis fire halted the delivery of critical aluminum sheets, the primary material for the F‑150’s body, and the plant was expected to resume operations by the end of December 2025. However, full inventory recovery is projected to take longer, and Ford anticipates the plant will be fully operational by the end of June 2026, which is why the company has chosen to keep its plants running instead of taking the planned shutdowns.
The F‑Series, which sold 828,832 units in 2025—a 8.3% increase over 2024—accounts for a large share of Ford’s revenue and profit. The aluminum shortage has been estimated to cost the company up to $1 billion in lost sales and $1.5‑$2 billion in adjusted EBIT. To offset the shortfall, Ford has added a third crew at the Dearborn Truck Plant, increased line speed at the Kentucky Truck Plant, and accelerated production of gasoline‑ and hybrid‑powered F‑150 models while pausing the all‑electric Lightning.
Ford’s 2025 financial results reflected the impact of the supply‑chain disruption: revenue of $187.3 billion and adjusted EBIT of $6.8 billion, with a Q4 EPS miss but a revenue beat. For 2026, the company is guiding to an adjusted EBIT of $8‑$10 billion, signalling confidence that the mitigation measures will restore profitability. CEO Jim Farley emphasized that the company’s “Ford+” strategy is accelerating earnings power and that most of the lost wholesale volume from 2025 is expected to be recovered in 2026.
By canceling the shutdowns, Ford is maintaining production capacity for its most profitable product line, reducing the risk of further revenue loss, and demonstrating operational resilience in the face of a major supply‑chain shock. The decision underscores the company’s commitment to keeping the F‑Series on the road while it works to secure a stable aluminum supply for the remainder of the year.
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