Oakville Ford plant hits brakes for 3-weeks due to semiconductor shortage
Published May 21, 2021 at 2:37 pm
The Oakville Ford Assembly Plant is shutting down production for three weeks beginning on May 31.
The global semiconductor chip shortage will idle several Ford plants, including Oakville’s which will be down to June 21.
This isn’t the first time the Oakville plant has had to hit the brakes on production this year because of the microchip shortage.
“Ford’s North American plants continue to be affected by the global semiconductor shortage, just as other automakers and industries around the world,” Unifor Local 707 President Mark Sciberras said in a letter to union members.
“As a result of this continued part shortage, the Ford Motor Company announced temporary layoffs at multiple production facilities.”
The Oakville facility is just one of the plants being shutdown due to the microchip shortage. Both the Windsor Essex Engine and the Windsor Annex plants will temporarily close for the week of May 31.
Videos
Shutdown notices also went out to plants in Dearborn, Kansas City, Flat Rock, Michigan, Ohio and Louisville. All will be idled completely or partially through the weeks of May 31 and June 7.
Louisville will put on the brakes through the week of June 28, while Ohio is also putting production into park for the week of June 14.
The microchip shortage stems from a variety of factors, including the auto industry competing against the electronics industry for a limited supply during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With more people at home, demand for electronic products such as laptops and gaming consoles has greatly increased.
Another factor in the straining of supplies included automakers selling more vehicles than expected.
The supply of chips is also expected to tighten as the pandemic continues.
insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising