Fate of Ford F-150, Super Duty trucks depends on plant shredded by tornado
A tornado that ripped apart the roof and interior of a
The three automakers count on the
"We are working closely with their teams on recovery operations and startup plans," said
The item may not sound like a big deal -- what's called a transfer case -- but it's so important that
A transfer case is a core part of the vehicle's four-wheel drive system.
"Currently, the time to resume operations, partially or in full, cannot be estimated, and we have not yet determined the full impacts to our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows, including the timing of those impacts," the
An updated version of the highly profitable Ford F-150 is tentatively scheduled to launch in the fall. Currently, it is the oldest truck on the market. Timely launches protect consumer market share and generate much-needed revenue.
At issue, of course, is whether the much-anticipated F-150 launch will be delayed.
"We'll have more details to share on the reveal timing of our upcoming all-new vehicles once we have safely brought our factories and facilities back online," said
An F-150 launch media briefing scheduled for
When asked specifically what impact the tornado had on the F-150 launch,
She referred to a statement released Friday that said, "We are working closely with the supplier to manage the situation and to determine next steps."
'Catastrophe'
While both
But there may be a glimmer of sunshine during this dark period.
Because of having plants shuttered due to COVID19,
"If you have high quality standards and your tooling is very expensive, you're going to have a difficult time trying to find a dual source. So you get a sole source situation. But when something happens, you're in pretty bad straits," Penfield said. "The tooling, everybody forgets about that -- the special machines and special equipment needed to make the parts needed.
In
Situations like the fire and the tornado rarely happen but when they do, it's "catastrophic," Penfield said.
And now
"It's kind of a risk-reward type situation," Penfield said. "You can dual source but at what cost? Chances of these kinds of situation are very small but when it happens, it puts you on your back. The only saving grace for
Factory forecast
While
While
While
The letter, provided by a union member at the site, listed outstanding orders for Super Duty, Expedition and Lincoln Navigators and said, "the uncertainty is very stressful on everyone." Hughes did not respond to an email requesting comment.
At
75% salary
While
The so-called "down time" status is for people whose jobs cannot be done satisfactorily from home, and most of them live in southeast
"Most importantly, there will be no change in their health care benefits," he said. "Safety and security first."
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