Nissan to idle Sunderland staff amid semiconductor shortage
Car giant Nissan will reportedly put 800 staff at its factory in Sunderland on furlough due to the worldwide shortage of semiconductors.
The Japanese automaker will send about a tenth of its 8,000-strong workforce at the plant home until the current squeeze eases, the Nikkei reported today.
The decision comes as it was revealed that Nissan was planning to cut production at some of its plants in Japan from next month.
City PM has contacted Nissan for comment.
It is the latest in a growing number of carmakers to announce plans to idle production over the coming months.
Earlier this week US giant Ford said it would implement a number of temporary shutdowns across its American estates over the summer.
Renault and Honda have also already flagged similar plans.
The dearth of the chips, which are vital for electric products from laptops to cars, has been affecting car makers since the start of this year.
Yesterday the world’s biggest chipmaker, Taiwan’s TSMC, said that the shortage could continue into 2022.
US President Joe Biden has earmarked $50bn in his new infrastructure plant to try and address the issue.