The global semiconductor shortage is forcing another pause in production of Ram 1500 trucks in Sterling Heights, Stellantis NV said Friday.
Production will be down next week. It was a part of a slew of work stoppages announced by the transatlantic automaker after it had managed to stave off unscheduled downtime at its North American plants for that past few weeks.
But amid material and component shortages worsened by backed-up trains, ships and planes, suppliers are indicating the scarcity of the microchips used in consumer electronics will last longer than previously expected — circumstances that already has contributed to increasing new and used vehicle prices. Japan’s Rohm Co. said issues could persist through next year, Bloomberg reported.
Although Stellantis has sought to protect its highly profitable trucks and Jeeps from being affected by the shortage, the Sterling Heights plant has lost almost 57,000 vehicles produced because of the shortage this year, AutoForecast Solutions LLC estimates. The total loss of production for Stellantis in North America is estimated at nearly 468,000 vehicles.
Stellantis’ Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois, home of the Jeep Cherokee crossover, also will be down the weeks of Aug. 30 and Sept. 6. So will Ontario’s Windsor Assembly Plant, which makes Chrysler minivans, after a previously scheduled summer shutdown this week.
Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario will idle next week, too. Workers there make the Dodge muscle cars and Chrysler 300 sedan.
“Stellantis,” spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in a statement, “continues to work closely with our suppliers to mitigate the manufacturing impacts caused by the various supply chain issues facing our industry.”
bnoble@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @BreanaCNoble