The global automotive industry faces a new problem in its supply chain, this time coming from the Dutch semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia. This company previously acquired by the Chinese group Wingtech, recently suspended the shipment of its components after an intervention by the government of the Netherlandswhich has set off alarms among large automobile producers and their suppliers.
These Nexperia chips are of great importance in the industry as they are used in a wide range of vehicles, from lighting systems to internal electronics.so its absence could affect automobile production soon.
This decision by the government of the Netherlands to assume control of Nexperia was based on reasons of economic and technological security, This is due to the risk that Europe would lose key knowledge in semiconductor manufacturing.
This measure was taken after the US warned that the Wingtech group, included on its commercial blacklist, could represent a risk to national security if it maintained operational control.
Given this, the Chinese government’s response was to order the suspension of exports from the Nexperia plants located in China, where about 80% of the products are processed before being sent to customers; To date, shipments from those facilities and from Europe remain stopped.
This stoppage in deliveries has generated concern in large companies in the automotive sector such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Volkswagen and Stellantis, as well as in parts suppliers such as Bosch and Aumovio; All of these are analyzing their level of exposure to the possible shortage of chips and looking for alternative sources.
For this reason, experts assure that Nexperia has about 40% participation in an essential category of basic semiconductors which are essential in the electronic systems of vehicles.. Although the company does not dominate the entire automotive chip market, its position in this specific segment makes it a critical link within the global production chain.
