A global microchip shortage is extending downtime at two North American plants of the Detroit Three this week.
Ford Motor Co. is idling its Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake for a second consecutive week. The plant produces medium-duty trucks, vans and Super Duty chassis cabs, employing more than 1,700 people. The Dearborn automaker has said chip issues are expected to persist in the first quarter with hopes for improvement in the second half of the year.
Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois also will be down again this week. The Stellantis NV plant that employs nearly 2,000 people west of Chicago had production halted for much of last year, and CEO Carlos Tavares has said he doesn't expect to see improvement in 2022.
