Ford Super Duty production reaches 20-year high after supplier fires
Ford built more than 39,000 Super Duty trucks in August as it restores F-Series output, though sales and dealer supply remain below targets.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
2 min read
Ford Super Duty production exceeded 39,000 trucks in August, its best monthly result since March 2006, as the automaker rebuilds output disrupted by fires at aluminum supplier Novelis. The increase should bring more pickups to dealer lots, but Ford's F-Series sales and available inventory are still below the company’s targets.
Ford reported that its F-Series production rose each month this year. Secondary reporting by Briefs.co, citing Ford’s data and CNBC reporting, put August Super Duty output above 39,000 units, making it a 20-year high. Super Duty is Ford’s range of larger F-Series pickups, including the F-250, F-350 and F-450.
The F-150 recovery is separate from the Super Duty result. Ford said it produced 57,504 F-150s in August, the model’s highest monthly output in two years, according to CNBC.
Why is Ford Super Duty production rising?
Ford is raising output after two fires at Novelis’ Oswego, New York, aluminum plant constrained its truck production over the past year. The manufacturer uses aluminum in F-Series vehicles, leaving the supplier disruption particularly significant for the truck line.
Ford had already outlined an expansion plan in October 2025. The company said it intended to add more than 50,000 F-Series trucks to 2026 production, including more than 45,000 additional gas and hybrid F-150s and more than 5,000 additional Super Duty trucks a year at its Kentucky Truck Plant.
Ford said that plan included a third crew at the Dearborn Truck Plant and more than 100 added positions in Kentucky for Super Duty assembly. It also said it would keep F-150 Lightning assembly paused while prioritizing gas and hybrid F-Series trucks, which Ford described as more profitable and less aluminum-intensive.
When will more Ford pickups reach dealers?
Rob Kaffl, Ford’s head of U.S. sales, said dealers should see the production increase arrive over the next 30, 60 and 90 days. He said Ford was managing output to match demand as the supply of incoming vehicles returned toward normal levels.
Dealer pickup inventory stood at about 40 days’ supply, Ford said. The company’s goal is 50 to 60 days, while historical industry norms have been 75 to 90 days, CNBC reported. A days’ supply measure estimates how long current inventory would last at the prevailing sales pace.
The production rebound has yet to lift Ford’s reported sales. Ford said August U.S. new-vehicle sales fell 10.3% from a year earlier, its eighth straight monthly year-over-year decline, while F-Series sales were down 10.9% through August. August F-Series sales declined 1.2% from a year earlier.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.