Badge of Honor

I've spelled it the American way because this is a story from over there.

According to Car+Driver, Ford can't sell 40 to 45 thousand of their top-selling F150 pick-ups because they are missing a vital part.

Which vital part?

Is it something to do with the global chip shortage?

Nope.

It seems to be to do with a naughty company called Tribar.

Here's the story as told by the website of Michigan Radio.  Basically, Tribar accidentally released about 10,000 gallons of hexavalent chromium solution into the local water system.

It's not nice stuff and it's not the first time this has happened.

Oops.

Although it is quite useful, for example, in the manufacture of Ford badges.

Tribar are now running at reduced capacity while they are trying to clean up their mess and Ford have a shortage of car badges.

It is probable that the two events are connected - ether that or the lots of little badges have been melted to make one big one for this place:

After all, it is named after the Ford badge.  It's called Blue Oval City.  Hope they've got a nice, clean water supply.