A sudden three-alarm fire has paralyzed operations at a Novelis plant in northern New York State, directly impacting the US automotive aluminum sheet supply chain as the facility supplies approximately 40% of the nation's automotive aluminum sheets. As a result, Ford Motor Company (F.US) has suspended production of multiple vehicle models, including the highly profitable Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.

According to United Auto Workers (UAW) officials and internal company memos, Ford's Kentucky truck plant has already halted production of its three-row SUV line this week due to aluminum sheet supply disruptions. Another Kentucky facility that produces Super Duty trucks may also face supply shortages in upcoming shifts.

To prioritize core operations, Ford is concentrating resources on maintaining F-series pickup production while adjusting operations at other production lines. The Dearborn, Michigan plant has stopped production of the F-150 Lightning model, while the Louisville plant has reduced shifts for Escape and Lincoln Corsair SUV production to single shifts.