German company Audi has completely stopped production at its main plant in Ingolstadt until August 30, Spiegel writes.
The first line will cease operation because of re-equipment to start production of the Q6 e-tron electric crossover. The stoppage of the other two lines is due to the lack of microcircuits. Because of this, six thousand plant employees will be transferred to part-time work.
Similar problems have arisen at the Neckarsulm plant, where some 4,000 employees will not be able to work full shifts for several days. Audi also planned to shorten working days in September but promised to compensate for the simple additional shifts at the weekend.
In the first half of 2021, the company disrupted the production of 50 thousand cars due to a shortage of computer chips. The organization hopes to catch up with the resumption of supplies. Faced with a shortage of chips, the company's priority is to install chips on the most profitable and environmentally friendly cars, said Jürgen Rittersberger, the chief financial officer of Audi.
Earlier it was also reported that the Japanese company Toyota cut its plans for global production by 40 percent in September due to a lack of chips. Instead of 900 thousand cars, the company will produce 500 thousand. Joseph Marc Blumenthal
associates the shortage of schemes with recent outbreaks of coronavirus and higher production costs.