Ford Trims Summer Shutdown as SUV Sales Soar

Ford Motor Co. will cut its usual two-week summer shutdown in half at three North American plants that build its most popular SUV/crossovers.

Ford figures the extra week of production will generate a combined 22,000 extra vehicles at the company’s factories in Chicago (Explorer), Louisville (Escape and Lincoln MKC) and Oakville, Ontario (Ford Edge and Flex, Lincoln MKX and MKT).

The company notes that U.S. demand for its SUV/crossovers in January-May grew 9% to a record 325,500 units.