Computers, telephones, cars – there is a buyer, only the goods are missing. During the pandemic, supplies from major Asian production lines were halted, and almost everyone needed an additional computer for work and remote learning, an additional monitor, or a printer – production lines are not keeping up. The whole world has such a problem, because the whole world – as it turns out – depends on semiconductors. Material of the magazine “Polska i Świat”.
The customer wants to buy, has cash, but no goods – this is not a situation from ancient times. – If a company orders a lot of smartphones, computers, unfortunately it may turn out that it will wait even a few months longer for them – says Dawid Kosiński from Spider’s Web.
As we hear from manufacturers, semiconductors are to blame for everything. – Very often, semiconductors are called the oil of our time and there must be something to it, it is really the fight for electronic oil today – points out Marcin Orzepiński from TVN Turbo.
Companies are not keeping up with the production of electronics
Prof. Ryszard Tadeusiewicz from the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow: – The crisis of shortage concerns devices built on the basis of semiconductors, i.e. integrated circuits and electronics, which have actually started to be lacking.
Because there is a raw material, but companies are not keeping up with its processing and further production of processors. – When we walk on the sand on the beach, we walk on a semiconductor. It is ordinary silicon that has to be melted, processed and then there is the material that is the basis of all electronics, and electronics is actually everywhere – explains Prof. Ryszard Tadeusiewicz.
Car factories suspend productionShutterstock
That is why downtime affects many industries – from computers, telephones, through intelligent kitchen appliances to cars. – Semiconductors were not stored. The whole world worked on the principle: somehow it will be done, we will do it on a regular basis. And here it turns out that there is a future pandemic and it cannot be done on a regular basis, because the demand for various equipment has increased significantly and people have been working less – points out Kosiński.
Deliveries from major Asian production lines have been suspended, and almost everyone needed an additional computer for work and remote learning, an additional monitor or printer – production lines are not keeping up. – Now they are starting to invest, but in fact these factories will be ready from 2023, and the demand will increase even more – believes Orzepiński.
Car factories suspend production
Modern cars are actually computers on wheels. – Are we talking about navigation, or are we talking about keyless entry, or about power steering or about the fact that the lights have to turn on themselves, parking assistant, line detection. Today, these integrated circuits are needed everywhere – emphasizes Kosiński.
That is why Mercedes has just stopped production in three European plants, and the BMW concern has decided to take a similar step. – Covid sorcery has taken revenge on car manufacturers. They were convinced that they would not be able to rebuild sales for many years, they reduced orders and reduced production plans – argues Orzepiński.
Dawid Kosiński points out that those who are currently looking for a car will only be able to buy it in a few months or even six months. Both Europe and the United States began to notice this problem. – This is probably a lesson that not having any own factories for advanced electronics is a serious problem – assesses Marcin Orzepiński.
Main photo source: Shutterstock