America’s top-selling vehicle faces production hit after fire at supplier facility, analyst says

A major aluminum supplier for Ford Motor Co. said it will suspend operations for several months after a fire erupted at its facility in September. 

Novelis, a key supplier of automotive-grade aluminum for Ford and used in vehicles like the F-150 pickup truck, told FOX Business that its plant in Oswego, New York, won’t be back in operation until the first quarter of fiscal 2026.

A Novelis spokesperson said the company activated its global network of plants and is partnering with industry peers to source material to try to mitigate the gap in supply.

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“We are urgently taking steps to minimize the impact of the recent fire at our Oswego facility on our customers,” the spokesperson said. “At the same time, we are working around the clock to restore the Oswego facility’s hot mill.” 

However, industry experts warn that automakers are still likely to face disruptions, given Novelis’ significant role as a major aluminum supplier for Ford and other automakers.

The fire started around 10 a.m. on Sept. 16, and only impacted one area of the plant, according to the spokesperson. Still, it will remain offline for several months, impacting the production of aluminum sheet used by U.S. automakers, including Ford. The plant supplies roughly 40% of the aluminum sheet used by the industry, according to reports. 

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Ford told FOX Business that it has been working closely with Novelis, one of several of its aluminum suppliers, to address the situation. 

“A full team is dedicated to addressing the situation and exploring all possible alternatives to minimize any potential disruptions,” the automaker said. 

Ford declined to comment on how its production would be impacted. 

Brian Moody, executive editor at Autotrader, told FOX Business that the fire will still have a direct impact on Ford’s F-150 production, as well as other automakers including Toyota, which relies on the plant for the RAV4. Volkswagen and Hyundai also use materials from the New York facility, though Ford remains the plant’s primary aluminum purchaser, according to Moody.

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Toyota told FOX Business that it does not anticipate any significant disruptions, saying its “needs can be filled through alternate suppliers.” 

As of Tuesday, Volkswagen has not identified an immediate impact. FOX Business reached out to Hyundai for comment. 

“They will certainly be finding other suppliers within the next few days, but Ford sells nearly three-quarters of a million F-series trucks each year, so that’s a lot of aluminum,” Moody said. 

Moody said that aluminum isn’t just used incidentally with the F-series but is a key component in the vehicle’s engineering and performance strategy. 

Aluminum helps reduce weight for the F-series trucks, helping deliver better performance and fuel efficiency, Moody said. The F-150’s body panels, including the doors, hood, roof and tailgate, rely on the material. 

Moody also noted that electric vehicles could also be affected to some degree by this disruption, since aluminum makes up 20% to 30% of the overall vehicle construction.

In turn, Moody said this pause could also cause other suppliers and automakers to deprioritize electic vehicles in favor of more profitable models, at least temporarily.