The Ford Motor Company has announced it will close its Louisville truck plant for a week.Next week’s shutdown is the result of potential supply disruptions stemming from the earthquake in Japan and decreased demand for the vehicles.The Ford Kentucky Truck Plant on Chamberlain Lane makes the F-250 and F-350 heavy duty pickup trucks, and the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator large SUVs.The automaker had already planned to idle production at the plant later this quarter. The company’s manager of sales analysis says Ford decided to shut the plant earlier than scheduled "to address a short supply of components."George Pipas adds that slowing demand for full-sized trucks also factored into the decision. (Information for this story came from the Associated Press)
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.