Coronavirus leads Ford to idle Chicago assembly plant because of parts shortage

Ford Motor Co. is temporarily closing its Chicago Assembly Plant because of a parts shortage related to COVID-19 cases that halted work at a supplier plant nearby.

As first reported by The Wall Street Journal – and confirmed by Ford – the Chicago plant, which builds the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator crossovers, will be idled for at least two shifts.

According to U.S. media outlets, a nearby Lear plant in Hammond, Ind., which supplies Chicago Assembly with seats, closed on March 16 when one worker tested positive for the novel coronavirus and another was presumed to have it.

On March 17, Ford announced that it was also temporarily shuttering vehicle and engine production at its plants in continental Europe starting on March 19. Ford said that the production halt in Europe was expected to last “for a number of weeks” depending on further pandemic-related events.