F-Series Troubles
Ford‘s F-Series trucks aren’t having such a great time at the moment. The first quarter of 2026 saw sales down by a substantial 16% compared to last year’s figures, a worrisome figure for the nation’s best-selling vehicle. Not helping matters were the successive fires at one of Ford’s key suppliers for aluminum, Novelis, late last year.
Novelis is instrumental in the F-Series supply chain, as it produces aluminum sheets for its beds. Its facility in New York caught fire three times in the span of two months, crippling supply and causing production disruptions.
Domino Effect
When the fires broke out back in October and November last year, it was said that it would take months before Novelis’ New York facility would be fully operational again. At the time of writing, the plant is still not at full capacity. Given the demand for F-Series trucks, Ford has had to source aluminum from abroad to keep up, but therein lies another problem.
According to Reuters, imported aluminum is subject to a 50% tariff, and Novelis is tapping aluminum from its South Korean and European operations to fulfill orders. Because of that, every panel that Ford makes for its full-sized pickups is costing the company dearly.
The Drive reports that it’s costing the company about $900 million in additional obligations. It’s why Ford has been requesting tariff relief from the government until Novelis’ New York facility is at full capacity.
The White House Says…
According to The Wall Street Journal, Ford, along with other automakers affected by the Novelis fires, ‘have not requested tariff relief on this matter in a particularly pronounced way.’ That’s either a PR way of saying no to the repeated requests, or the Government saying that the automakers aren’t asking hard enough.
In addition, Automotive World noted that the government had already done its part last year. Per the publication: “The White House informed companies it had already provided relief from other national security tariffs in 2025.”
Ford’s heavy reliance on aluminum in building its full-size pickups makes it the most affected by the tariffs. The thing is, it’s not the only automaker that’s been blighted by the tariffs. General Motors and Stellantis are also major clients of Novelis, along with Toyota, Hyundai, and Volkswagen.
With so many companies affected by the whole matter, one has to wonder what kind of appeal the companies have to make for the White House to move a finger. Either way, those tariffs will be passed on to the consumer. The war in Iran has also disrupted global aluminum production, so until there’s a reprieve, expect supply chain issues and volatile prices.
Ford
