Chip crisis
The semiconductor crisis that has hit the entire technology industry with serious consequences for the entire sector could be nearing an end, at least for the automotive world. The analysts of the investment fund ING Greater China predict this, arguing that production in China has already been intensified by the best-known technology brands. This should lead to a sharp increase in supplies from late summer and the remaining months of 2021, but there will still be a wait for the market to normalize.In fact, the gap between supply and demand is still huge and the void created during the period of maximum incidence of the Coronavirus must be filled. During the lockdown phase, with the movement of many companies from offices to homes, there was an unexpected increase in the demand for computers and related components. Once the stocks, which were not prepared for such an emergency, were exhausted, the producers found themselves unable to sustain the increase in the number of orders (regularly lagging behind in supplies).
All this was not enough In addition to the general scarcity of chips in the auto industry, demand for components has grown due to some new factors. Among these, the computers present on the new cars (from tablets to extra control units) which increases the number of technological components required to assemble each new car. Hence the production cuts announced by many companies in recent times that are destined to continue at least until next year. Meanwhile, all possible solutions are being sought including recycling the used parts but this is not always possible due to their conditions and the additional costs associated with the entire process.
It would also be argued that most of the chip manufacturers are concentrated in one country (or at most two) or the Taiwan / China duo. But here we should broaden the discussion to why almost everything is produced in the East without providing adequate supplies for emergencies. However, a useless discussion because, as there are no alternatives, producers and customers can only arm themselves with patience.
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