On the Dash:
- A second fire struck the Novelis aluminum plant supplying Ford, occurring in the same area as the Sept. 16 blaze.
- Ford previously projected a $2 billion fourth-quarter earnings hit from the first fire and has yet to comment on the new incident.
- Production impacts may continue despite Ford’s plan to boost gasoline-powered F-Series output by 50,000 trucks in 2026.
A second fire broke out Thursday morning at the Novelis aluminum plant in Oswego, the primary supplier of aluminum used in Ford’s F-150 pickups and other models. The fire ignited in the same area of the facility where a Sept. 16 fire had already disrupted production and triggered considerable financial impacts for the automaker.
All workers were evacuated, according to a statement from Novelis, which said the fire was contained and that crews remained on-site late Thursday morning to ensure it was fully extinguished. County fire officials confirmed that multiple departments responded to the scene.
Ford, the plant’s largest customer, has relied heavily on Novelis since shifting its large trucks and SUVs from steel to aluminum a decade ago in an effort to reduce weight and improve fuel economy. The September fire forced Ford to scale back production and prompted the company to project a $2 billion hit to Q4 earnings last month.
In response to supply constraints, Ford announced plans to increase the output of gasoline-powered F-Series pickups by 50,000 units in 2026. Meanwhile, Novelis had hoped to restart production this year, though the second fire may delay recovery timelines.
The back-to-back fires raise new concerns about supply chain stability at a time when truck production remains central to Ford’s profitability.
