福特为何停产美国最畅销的皮卡

今年在福特（Ford）生产线上诞生的F-150皮卡的数量可能不如以往了，至少目前来看是这样。

F-150是福特最畅销的车型，也是美国这四十多年来销量最好的车型之一，但它如今面临着停产。福特宣布，由于一家零部件工厂5月2日遭遇火灾，所有F-150的生产都被暂停，同样停产的还有皮卡Super Duty。

大火发生在子午线轻量化技术公司（Meridian Lightweight Technologies）位于密歇根州Easton Rapids的工厂中，生产F-150所需的许多关键部件都受此影响。子午线负责给福特供应多项部件，其中就包括安置皮卡冷却水箱的镁制散热器支架。子午线也是福特这一支架在美国的唯一供应商，没有支架，皮卡的生产就无法继续。

上周早些时候，福特堪萨斯城车间的近3,600名工人被遣散回家。位于密歇根州迪尔伯恩的F-150生产装配车间也开始了临时裁员，大约4,000名工人受到影响。

福特估计，皮卡部件还可以维持84天的供应，这意味着消费者短期内不会感受到部件短缺的影响。不过，如果这种态势继续下去，情况或许会出现变化，而停产时间目前还不得而知。

F-150是福特的重要品牌。《底特律自由报》（The Detroit Free Press）称，一位分析师发现这款皮卡的企业价值比福特整个公司还要高。去年该皮卡的销量为90万辆，今年至今的销量则是287,295万辆。

F-150为福特贡献了总销售额的28%，在去年产生了410亿美元的收入。按照一位分析师的说法，它停产两周就可能导致公司在第二季度损失高达3.1亿美元的利润。

上月，福特因为安全原因召回了部分F-150，该事件涉及近35万辆新产卡车。

在上周三发布声明之后，福特的股价下跌1.9%至11.06美元。

通用汽车（General Motors）、菲亚特克莱斯勒（Fiat Chrysler）和梅赛德斯（Mercedes）的生产线也因为子午线公司的火灾受到了影响。（财富中文网）

译者：严匡正

There won’t be the usual number of new F-150 pickup trucks rolling off the Fordproduction lines, at least for now.

The F-150, a top seller for Ford and one of the top-selling vehicles in the U.S. for more than 40 years, is facing a production halt. Ford announced that it was suspending production of all F-150s, as well as the Super Duty, due to a May 2 fire at a parts factory.

The fire, which took place at Meridian Lightweight Technologies’ facility in Easton Rapids, Mich., compromised a number of critical components for the production of the F-150. Among other items, Meridian supplies Ford with the magnesium radiator support structure, which holds radiators on the trucks. It is Ford’s only supplier of this product in the U.S., and without it, the truck’s production is unable to continue.

Earlier last week, Ford sent home close to 3,600 workers at its plant in Kansas City. The other assembly plant where the F-150 is built, in Dearborn, Mich., will also face temporary lay-offs, affecting approximately 4,000 workers.

Ford estimates that it still has an 84-day supply of the trucks, meaning that the shortage will not be felt by consumers in the immediate-term. However, that may change depending on the length of the production halt, which has not yet been determined.

The F-150 is a critical brand for Ford. According to The Detroit Free Press, an analyst found that the enterprise value of the trucks is greater than that of Ford overall. Close to 900,000 were sold last year, with an additional 287,295 sold so far this year.

The truck is responsible for about 28% of Ford’s total sales, generating $41 billion in revenue last year. According to one analyst, just a two-week production halt of the truck could cut as much as $310 million from Ford’s second quarter profits.

Last month, Ford issued a safety recall on the F-150, affecting nearly 350,000 new trucks.

Following the last Wednesday announcement, Ford shares closed down 1.9% at $11.06.

Production at General Motors , Fiat Chrysler, and Mercedes was also disrupted due to the Meridian fire.