Parts shortage causes temporary shutdown at Windsor, Ont. auto assembly plant

An auto parts shortage is forcing a week-long shutdown at Chrysler’s Windsor, Ont., minivan assembly plant.

According to local news reports, including those in the Windsor Star, Chrysler will shut down its minivan plant starting on january 31 because of a shortage of parts from a number of suppliers.

Locally, the plant’s closure will idle more than 4,400 hourly workers and skilled trades at the plant, as well as about 5,000 workers at about 30 feeder plants, the Star said.  

The Star‘s report cited employee speculation that a Chinese supplier that manufactured aluminum materials that are used in the minivans hood contributed to the shutdown.

Chrysler was hoping to cancel one shift of production to prepare for the shortage, the Star said, but decided to cancel all three production shifts at the assembly plant.

The plant is scheduled to reopen for production on February 7th.