DETROIT (Reuters) – The impact of the global semiconductor shortage on the auto industry spread on Saturday as Stellantis warned that its highly profitable pick-up trucks were affected, while Ford Motor Co said it would reduce plus American production.
Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest automaker, said it will build and maintain its Ram 1500 Classic trucks for final assembly at assembly plants in Warren, Michigan and Saltillo, Mexico. When the tokens are available, the vehicles will be completed and shipped to dealerships.
The action will last “several weeks,” said a Stellantis spokeswoman, who declined to reveal how many trucks would be affected.
The shortage of chips, which has affected carmakers around the world, stems from a confluence of factors. Vehicle manufacturers closed U.S. plants for two months during the COVID-19 pandemic last year and canceled chip orders. Meanwhile, the consumer electronics industry increased the demand for chips as people worked from home and played video games. Now vehicle manufacturers have to compete for chips.
Road manufacturers have repeatedly said they will prioritize chips for their most cost-effective vehicles, but the impact on the Ram, as well as previous reports from Ford and General Motors Co. on lost or affected production of their full-size trucks, they show that scarcity affects companies. where does it hurt.
Stellantis chief executive Carlos Tavares said earlier this month that the problems may not have been fully resolved in the second half of 2021, as some car rivals have marked, describing supplies as the ” big unknown “of revenue in 2021.
Ford said Saturday it will shut down its Ohio assembly plant next week, while the Kentucky truck plant in Louisville will only operate two of the three shifts. Both plants will return to full production the week of March 29th.
The US automaker said the latest action is part of a previous forecast that the shortage could reach 2021 profits between $ 1 billion and $ 2.5 million.
On Thursday, Ford said it would assemble its highly profitable F-150 pickup as well as North American Edge SUVs without certain parts and that it would keep them “for several weeks” until they could be completed and shipped, affecting “thousands.” He also said it would stop production at plants in Louisville, Kentucky, and Cologne, Germany.
Ben Klayman Reports; Edited by Daniel Wallis