Syracuse, N.Y. – A fire that damaged Novelis’ massive aluminum plant near Oswego last month could cost one of the facility’s biggest customers up to $1 billion in earnings, according to analysts.

Evercore ISI analysts, in a note on Wednesday, said Ford Motor Co. could see a drop in earnings of up to $1 billion because of the interruption the fire will cause in its supply of aluminum, Reuters reported.

The Novelis plant in the Oswego County town of Scriba supplies Ford with aluminum for the body panels on the automaker’s best-selling F-150 trucks.

Ford is scheduled to release its third-quarter earnings report on Oct. 23.

A fire broke out at the Novelis plant, one of Oswego County’s largest employers, around 10 p.m. on Sept. 16. It took firefighters from more than 20 departments four h

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