Exclusive-Ford F-150 Lightning plant hit by aluminum fire-related shutdown, union official says

By Nora Eckert DETROIT (Reuters) -Ford Motor is pausing production next week at the Dearborn, Michigan, plant that makes its F-150 Lightning electric pickup, a change a union official at the plant says is related to a disastrous fire at a supplier's New York aluminum factory. The September 16 fire at a Novelis plant is expected to disrupt production of Ford's best-selling F-150 vehicles for months, and potentially sap $1 billion from its bottom line, according to an analyst estimate.  A memo shared with workers at the plant, viewed by Reuters, said the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center (REVC) will be off next week. Nick Kottalis, the president and chairman of Dearborn Truck, as well as the REVC, confirmed the shutdown was related to the aluminum factory fire. Ford declined to provide specifics on any production adjustments.  The automaker's stock fell about 6% on Tuesday on news of the fire. Ford shares closed 1.5% lower on Wednesday at $11.74. Ford began using a mainly aluminum body on its F-150 truck more than a decade ago in an effort to reduce the weight of the vehicle. It produces F-150 and Super Duty models at plants in Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. The automaker declined to say whether any production changes were planned at those locations. “Novelis is one of several aluminum suppliers to Ford. Since the fire nearly three weeks ago, Ford has been working closely with Novelis, and a full team is dedicated to addressing the situation and exploring all possible alternatives to minimize any potential disruptions," a Ford spokesperson said in a statement, in response to a question about the fire.  EV sales have surged in recent weeks as buyers tried to grab a deal on models before the $7,500 federal tax credit expired on September 30. Ford sold a record 10,000 F-150 Lightning vehicles in the third quarter, with the company calling it the best-selling electric pickup in the U.S.   Ford CEO Jim Farley recently said he expects EV sales to fall to about half their record levels of August and September in the absence of the credit.  (Reporting by Nora Eckert in Detroit; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

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