Ford Motor Co.
F,
stopped assembly lines at its Chicago assembly plant for the second straight day on Wednesday, an early indication of the challenges the auto industry faces as production resumes after a two-month shutdown due to the coronavirus crisis.
Ford sent workers at the Chicago Assembly Plant home in the late morning Wednesday, two people familiar with the matter said. The work stoppage came after a nearby Lear Corp.
LEA,
factory in Hammond, Ind., which makes seats for the Ford factory, idled its assembly lines earlier, the people said.
On Tuesday, Ford was forced to close the Chicago factory twice for several hours after confirming two positive cases of Covid-19 at a nearby Ford facility, a company spokeswoman said. The plant, which makes the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator sport-utility vehicles, had been operating again Wednesday morning after parts of the facility were disinfected overnight.
The reason for the closure of the Lear plant could not be learned. A spokesman for Lear did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
