Peak Provide Chain Issues: Ford Low on Ford Badges

The blue oval is so synonymous with the Ford merchandise it adorns that journalists bored with writing the phrase “Ford” generally swap within the phrase “the blue oval” for the corporate itself. Ask us how we all know.

The blue oval is sort of out of blue ovals.

Hundreds of Automobiles Awaiting Nametags

Ford has delayed deliveries of 1000’s of autos as a result of it lacks Ford badges to position on them. The Wall Road Journal stories, “The automobile firm has run into provide constraints with the brand-name badges and nameplates that specify the mannequin.”

Provide chain crises have rocked the automotive business for nearly two years. Automakers are constructing fewer vehicles than they might promote, sending costs hovering.

Largely, they’re low on microchips. Right now’s vehicles include a whole bunch of tiny microprocessors controlling every little thing from cabin temperature to tire strain monitoring programs. A world scarcity has nearly each automaker trimming manufacturing. Kelley Blue Guide mother or father firm Cox Automotive estimates that People might purchase simply 13.3 million vehicles this yr – practically 4 million fewer than the pre-pandemic norm.

Nevertheless it’s not simply microchips. Automakers have additionally run out of extra mundane issues, like seat foam and sound insulation.

Now, it’s badges. And sure, Ford is holding the vehicles again fairly than promoting them incognito. A lot of the Fords awaiting identification are F-150 and Tremendous Obligation pickups. The blue oval (we are able to’t say Ford once more, it’s hitting semantic satiation, as Coach Beard would say) is storing tens of 1000’s of unfinished vans in giant unused parking tons close to its factories. They’re not all ready to get pinned with a reputation, however many are, the Journal stories.

Provider in Authorized Jeopardy

One badge provider was just lately compelled to pause its operations when it was discovered dumping hexavalent chromium right into a Michigan river. Hexavalent chromium is a cancer-causing chemical used to supply plated exterior automobile elements. Like… you guessed it.

There’s no phrase on when Ford will atone for gluing IDs to vans. We’ve reached out for an replace on the timing.