The disruption in the supply chain, labour shortage, and a plethora of other factors have hampered the deliveries of cars across the globe. While most auto companies are troubled by the lack of semiconductors, Ford Motors is facing a rather unique problem.
Reportedly, the US-based car manufacturer has had to delay its deliveries because it didn’t have the blue oval badges that are usually strapped on the exterior of its vehicles.
The iconic blue-coloured badge with Ford written on it has been one of the most identifiable features of the car brand. However, due to supply chain constraints, the company is unable to get its hands on the badges and car model-specific nameplates.
Read more: Ford confirms it will layoff about 3,000 employees globally amid restructuring
Some reports suggest that Ford has considered workarounds such as 3-D printing the badge. However, it dropped the plan after the 3-D printed insignia did not meet the standards of quality.
According to Ford, the snarl (whether only caused by badges or another item is yet not known) has impacted the deliveries of its cars, including the popular F-series pickup trucks.
Data suggest that approximately 40,000 to 45,000 Ford vehicles, at the end of the third quarter, have not been shipped to the dealers because they do not have some of the important parts.
The global auto industry has been wrestling with various supply-chain disruptions for more than a year. Semiconductor has been one of the most sought-after piece of equipment that has been hard to come by.
However, the fact that Ford cannot get its hands on basic equipment such as a badge suggests that the supply chain crisis goes beyond a silicon chip.
While there is a backlog of deliveries, Ford has not made matters easier for itself by recently recalling more than 200,000 SUVs in the United States due to some issues with the fan motors.
Read more: Ford recalls over 200,000 SUVs as faulty fan motor leads to fire incidents
As reported by WION, the recalled cars were mainly Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators from the 2015 through 2017 model years. This was the second time that these car models have been recalled in the last six months
(With inputs from agencies)
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