Audi's 10,000 employees take leave due to global semiconductor shortage
According to foreign media reports, Audi CEO Markus Duesmann said that the global semiconductor shortage is forcing more than 10,000 Audi employees to take vacations and delaying part of the production of new cars.
A4 (Image source: Audi)
Duesmann said in an interview released on January 17 that Audi's total production in 2021 should not be affected, because the company intends to make up for the lost production in the second half of the year. Duesmann stated that Audi will 'do everything it can to control the lost production in the first quarter to less than 10,000 vehicles (and fewer models produced).'
Duesmann said that the supply challenge comes from the unexpected increase in consumer demand for Audi cars, mainly due to the rebound in demand in the Chinese market.
Due to chip shortages, Audi, Volkswagen, Ford, and Daimler are all cutting production in German factories.
Audi will reduce working hours at its Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm plants from January 18th to January 29th. The production of A4 and A5 models will be affected. Impact: From January 18th to January 29th, Audi's San Jose Chiapa plant in Mexico will implement a single-shift system; from February 1st to February 12th from Wednesday to Friday, the two-shift system will be implemented.
On January 13, Volkswagen stated in a statement that it will reduce the production of Tiguan, Touran and SEAT Tarraco models at its Wolfsburg plant in Germany. From January 18 to January 29, Volkswagen's Emden plant in Germany will also reduce worker hours.
Ford said that its Saarlouis plant in Germany will suspend production from January 18 to February 19. This plant is responsible for the production of Ford’s compact car Focus.
Similarly due to supply problems, Daimler is reducing Mercedes-Benz's production, but will give priority to the production of Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles and high-margin models (such as the S-Class). Daimler will reduce the output of compact car plants such as its Rastat and Bremen plants in Germany and the Keskimet plant in Hungary.
