Former Chrysler Windsor Minivan Plant to Close for All of June

In many auto-producing nations (China, Japan, Germany, notably not the U.S.) a national auto policy provides for ongoing competitiveness and prosperity. Photo AutoInformed October 2012.

Stellantis, a mega-merger of FCA and PSA, will stop minivan production at its factory in Windsor, Ontario, for the entire month of June. Because of aglobal microchip shortage, the giant automaker had said production would halt during the weeks of June 7 and 14. “Stellantis continues to work closely with our suppliers to mitigate the manufacturing impacts caused by the various supply chain issues facing our industry,” the company said in a statement. (Bye Bye FCA and PSA. Hello Stellantis, Stellantis Reports Legacy FCA, PSA 2020 Financial Results)

“The semiconductor shortage impacting the automotive industry has left companies and countries scrambling for solutions,” said Carla Bailo, President & CEO at the Center for Automotive Research, aka CAR. “Chipmakers are working to increase manufacturing capacity but building new manufacturing plants requires multi-billion-dollar investments and at least 18 months to launch. Automakers and parts suppliers are looking to balance just-in-time manufacturing systems with holding more inventory of chips and the crucial parts and components that use them.”

Some companies appear to be managing the global microchip shortage better than others. AutoInformed on: Billion Dollar Oops – Ford F-150s, Edges Without Electronics; Ford Posts Q1 Income of $3.3B. Semiconductors Still Difficult; GM to Up Deliveries by Dropping Stop-Start on Pickups, SUVs;