Ford CEO Says Rare Earth Supply Is ‘Day to Day’ After Plant Halt

Ford Motor Co. continues to struggle to obtain rare earth magnet supplies that are essential to car production and have already forced a temporary shutdown of one of its factories.

The supply of the critical components has been trickling out of China, which has instituted a new approval process for exports of rare earths that continues to slow supply lines, Ford Chief Executive Officer Jim Farleysaid.

“It’s day to day,” Farley said in an interview Friday with Bloomberg TV. “We have had to shut down factories. It’s hand-to-mouth right now.”

Ford idled its Explorer sport utility vehicle factory ...