DEARBORN, MI – Ford said it plans to produce an additional 40,000 vehicles during the summer by reducing its summer shutdown period, from two weeks to one week, at a number of its North American plants (including six assembly plants). The automaker said this increased production is in line with its plans to boost its annual vehicle production capacity by 400,000 units.

The Ford assembly plants taking one week of summer shutdown in 2012 include the Chicago Assembly (which builds the Lincoln MKS, Ford Taurus, and Ford Explorer), its Dearborn Truck plant (which builds the F-150), its Kentucky Truck plant (which builds the F-250–F-550, Super Duty pickups, the Ford Expedition, and the Lincoln Navigator), its Louisville Assembly (which also builds the Ford Explorer) Michigan Assembly, and Kansas City Assembly (which makes the Ford Escape and F-150).

Ford stated that other plants taking just one week of shutdown include Dearborn Engine, Chicago Stamping, its Cleveland Engine No. 1, Lima Engine, Essex Engine, Sterling, and Rawsonville.

“We are working most of our North America plants at maximum capacity and we are adding production shifts in three of our assembly plants this month alone,” said Jim Tetreault, vice president of North America Manufacturing. “Requiring more capacity from our plants is a good problem to have and having the flexibility to add a week of production in our plants goes a long way toward solving it.”

Chrysler recently made a similar announcement, stating it plans to reduce summer shutdown times to meet demand.