Ford F-150 Production Slowed Due to Frame Shortage
Ford F-150 production has been slower than anticipated due to a shortage of frames.
According to workers and a UAW official, the American automaker hasn’t been producing as many F-150 pickup trucks as it’d like because of a shortage of frames from a supplier’s factory in Kentucky. The truck’s frame is produced by a plant owned by Metalsa S.A. de C.V., a Mexican company that purchased Dana Corp.’s structural product business in 2010. As a result of the shortage and having the Ford F-150 production slowed, the automaker has had to cancel some planned overtime at the two plants that build the trucks, sending workers home early multiple times in the past few months.
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One worker speaking anonymously told Automotive News that the shortage has prevented the plant from running any “Super Sunday” shifts, which is when workers earn double pay. Todd Hillyard, the bargaining chairman of Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant with UAW Local 249, confirmed the news on Facebook saying “Demand for our F-150 is sky high. Frames continue to hold both truck plants back from running overtime days on the weekend.”
Last month, Ford produced a total of 29,373 F-150 pickup trucks at its Dearborn plant, which is 9.2 percent fewer than in April 2014. The Kansas City plant, which received a $1 billion upgrade and resumed F-150 production in March, produced a total of 20,602 trucks in April, a 28 percent decrease from a year ago.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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They've been framed! It's a conspiracy I tell ya!