Another fire broke out Thursday morning at a key Novelis aluminum plant in Oswego, New York, one of Ford Motor’s most critical suppliers, intensifying concerns over the automaker’s already strained production outlook.
The plant provides aluminum sheet metal used in the bodies of Ford’s F-Series pickup trucks, the best-selling vehicles in the United States, and a major contributor to the company’s earnings. Industry analysts estimate that the facility accounts for roughly 40% of the U.S. auto industry’s aluminum sheet supply.
This is the second major incident at the plant in just over two months. A late-night fire on September 16 damaged the hot mill responsible for producing aluminum sheets for multiple automakers, leaving the unit inoperable. The disruption has already forced Ford to revise its 2025 annual earnings guidance downward.
The company warned that the September fire could cost up to 1 billion dollars across 2024 and 2025, citing canceled shifts, interrupted production at its full-size SUV and truck plants, and a suspension of F-150 Lightning electric truck assembly until further notice.
The latest fire began around 8:45 a.m. on November 20. The blaze was extinguished by the afternoon, and all employees were safely evacuated.
Several local fire departments responded, and crews remain on-site to monitor conditions. Novelis spokesperson Julie Groover said it is too early to assess the impact on production.
Ford is closely tracking developments. “We are aware of the situation and are working with Novelis to learn more,” spokesperson Ursula Muller said in a statement.
The repeated disruptions highlight the vulnerability of automakers’ supply chains, especially for essential materials such as aluminum, and raise the possibility of further production delays if the plant’s output is affected again.
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