Ford trims F-150 production on semiconductor shortage

Ford will trim US production of the top-selling F-150 truck due the shortage of semiconductor chips plaguing the global auto industry, the company said Thursday.

The US auto giant will run just one of three shifts the week of February 8 in Dearborn, Michigan and two of three shifts at the truck part of the Kansas City, Missouri plant, a Ford spokeswoman said.

Both plants are expected to resume normal production levels the week of February 15, the spokeswoman said.

“We are working closely with suppliers to address potential production constraints tied to the global semiconductor shortage and working to prioritize key vehicle lines for production, making the most of our semiconductor allocation,” she said.

Ford’s move comes a day after General Motors said it would temporarily halt production at three factories and cut output by half at a fourth due to the chip semiconductor crunch.

Global automakers have been hit in 2021 by a shortage in semiconductors that stems in part from outsized chip demand for game consoles and other consumer electronics during the coronavirus pandemic.

© 2021 AFP