Ford Closing Louisville Truck Plant For One Week

Heavy-duty truck, some SUV production affected

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DETROIT (AP) -- Ford Motor Co. is closing its Louisville, Ken., truck plant next week because of potential supply disruptions stemming from the earthquake in Japan, and because demand is down for the vehicles.

The Kentucky plant makes the F-250 and F-350 heavy duty pickup trucks, and the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator large SUVs.

The car maker had already planned to idle production at the plant later this quarter, said George Pipas, Ford's manager of sales analysis. But the company decided to shut the plant earlier than scheduled "to address a short supply of components," he said.

Slowing demand for full-sized trucks also factored into the decision, Pipas said.

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