The lack of supply of microchips, an essential component for the manufacture of vehicles, has caused the Stellantis Figueruelas factory to announce the suspension of the plant’s activity from Tuesday until next week.
The supply problems of this component, which has been in short supply worldwide for nearly two years, has already forced the cancellation of seven work shifts on its two lines in recent days.
The management has announced strikes from tomorrow night and that they will last throughout the week due to the shortage of semiconductors since the confinement, which is also joined by the problems between China and Taiwan, which cause new delays in supplies.
The president of the Stellantis works council, Rubén Alonso, has expressed his concern, since it is a problem that, according to experts, will not be solved in the short term and the two production lines will be affected again.
“The experts do not guarantee that this problem will be solved in the medium or short term,” lamented Alonso, who recalled that the delays in deliveries have been constant in the last two years, although in Figueruelas the situation had normalized after a month of April with production stoppages.
The problems have been accentuated in recent days after the geopolitical conflict between China and Taiwan, since the latter is the producer of almost 70% of microchips worldwide. The problem will mean the loss of 19 shifts and, at the moment, there is no scheduled date to return to activity, although they hope to resume next Saturday.
The stoppage during these days is compensated with the days of flexibility included in the collective agreement and with the temporary regulation file negotiated a few months ago.
On the other hand, the press warehouse, where nearly 300 people work, will continue to operate, as it manufactures parts for other group plants.
