LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Ford Motor Co.’s Louisville Assembly Plant is tentatively planning to shut down for two additional weeks in late January and early February, the apparent result of the same parts issue that closed the plant last week.
If the plan holds, the Fern Valley Road plant that manufactures the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair SUVs will have been idle for three of the first five weeks of 2021.
The plant is scheduled to resume production on Tuesday after an unexpected week off because of what Ford has called a "global semiconductor shortage."
But Louisville Assembly is “tentatively” set to be idle again the weeks of Jan. 25 and Feb. 1, according to a robocall message employees received on Friday.
The robocall message, which does not give a reason for the potential shutdown, says the company will confirm the plan after production resumes this week.
Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker declined to comment other than to reiterate that the planned shutdown is “tentative.”
The scarcity of computer chips, an apparent result of manufacturing disruption caused by the pandemic, is an issue that affects the auto industry writ-large, an analyst told WDRB earlier this month.
The computer chips are needed for a braking system component in vehicles made at LAP, plant sources have told WDRB.
