Supplier Fire Stops F-150 Production - Will GM's Trucks Also Be Affected?

[Gorehamj]

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
5-9-2018

 

A fire at Wangfen Automotive Holding Group’s Meridian Lightweight Technologies plant in Eaton Rapids, Michigan has halted production of the Ford F-150. The plant makes structural components like radiator cradles in the F-150 and Super Duty trucks. It also makes instrument housings. Ford says that its business accounts for roughly a third of the plant’s production output. That leads us to wonder if GM might also be affected.

 

“This is a fluid situation, but we are working closely with our supplier and UAW partners to do everything we can to limit the impact on our production,” said Joe Hinrichs, executive vice president and president of Ford global operations, said in a statement. “It’s a full team effort and we’re confident that any impacts will be short term. The good news is we have strong inventories of our best-selling F-series pickups and other vehicles, and customers won’t have a problem finding the model they want.” GM says that the company's products may be spared from shutdowns due to shortages. “At this point, there has been no immediate impact to our operations,” confirmed a spokesperson for the carmaker. “Our global supply chain team continues to monitor the situation.”

News reports say that the employees recognized the danger. One former employee said, "I'm not surprised it didn't blow up years ago." See video for details. 

 

The plant fire also included explosions, which makes it unlikely that a quick return to production will be possible for Meridian. The company specializes in work involving magnesium. Magnesium is flammable and difficult to extinguish once oxidation starts.

[Snow Shovel]

Structural components and instrument housings.  This article was more informative than anything I was able to find.

 

Thanks for posting.

[Daryl Z71]

Sounds like they are careless which is something I've experienced in the factory I use to work at.

[mookdoc6]

Lucky nobody died!  Thank the people before you standing up and fighting for Labor Laws and Safe/Clean workplaces etc!  I am sure the facility had a culture of looking the other way and production/profit above everything.  The owner/operator probably clueless about anything other than financial statements/sales etc.  I know that person probably cares now?  Yeah, OK whatever..........Folks if you work in unsafe environments etc. cultures of "I don't care I just work here" attitudes I recommend you go somewhere else.

 

Note:  If GM were to have been using this facility of sole source provider etc.  I can assure you the reporting would have been, "Once again it's seems previous Bankrupt GM is back to it's old habits"  Only have one supplier and potentially halting it's Silverado for month and half impacting Billions,billions of revenues.... just saying!