As we’ve reported extensively over the last several weeks, a global semiconductor chip shortage is severely hampering production among every major automaker, including Ford. In addition to serious problems in North America, Ford Europe production is being impacted especially hard. In fact, the automaker has now extended its production cuts in Europe and says that it will continue to be impacted until late Q2.
The Ford Saarlouis Assembly Plant in Germany, where the Ford Focus is produced, has been hit particularly hard and will now remain shut down for an additional five weeks. The Ford Valencia Assembly Plant in Spain, which produces the Kuga, Mondeo, and Galaxy, has also been impacted, and will now face short-time work for an extra 14 days.
The Ford Cologne Assembly Plant in Germany, which produces the Ford Fiesta, has been impacted to a lesser extent but faces three more days of short-time work. Finally, the Ford Craiova Assembly Plant in Romania, which produces the Ford Puma and Ford EcoSport, will add 14 extra days to its total after it initially planned on shuttering production for eight days, as we reported earlier this week.
Regardless of these major Ford Europe production issues, the automaker remains hopeful that its issues will be resolved by the end of Q2, as CEO Jim Farley recently stated. Farley also recently called for an increase in domestic EV battery production as a result of these chip shortages. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden just signed an executive order aimed at bringing semiconductor chip production stateside as well.
In the meantime, the automaker is using what chips it has on-hand to produce its most profitable and strategically important vehicles, including the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E and 2021 Ford F-150.
We’ll have much more on the global chip shortage soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
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