<article><p class="lead">The number of new vehicle production in North America lost due to a lack of semiconductors ticked up in the last week.</p><p>Estimates of lost vehicle production rose this week by 15pc to 865,000 vehicles, 110,000 more vehicles than the prior week, according to data from AutoForecast Solutions.</p><p>The number of vehicles deemed "at-risk" also increased, rising by a third to 293,000 vehicles. </p><p>The increased lost production comes as some North American automakers have been able to bring some idled production back on line. Last week <a href="https://metals.argusmedia.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/2225093">Ford Motor restarted production of its top-selling F-150 full-size pickup truck at its plants in Michigan and Missouri</a>, while also restarting full-size SUV production in Illinois and sedan production in Flat Rock, Michigan. </p><p>At the end of May, <a href="https://metals.argusmedia.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/2219384">General Motors (GM) said it would bring some North American plants back on line</a>. The company announced at the beginning of June that it will <a href="https://metals.argusmedia.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/2221446">increase output of its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickup trucks</a> by 1,000 trucks/month beginning in mid-July. Shipments of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickup trucks will increase by 30,000 units from mid-May through 5 July as vehicles that had been partially built are fully fitted with semiconductors.</p><p>But other automakers have announced further curtailments of production in recent weeks, with <a href="https://metals.argusmedia.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/2225948">Hyundai and Kia announcing production cuts on 17 June, while Stellantis has extended closures of plants</a> in Illinois, Ontario, and Toluca, Mexico. Nissan has also extended production cuts through all of July. </p><p class="bylines">By Rye Druzin</p></article>
