The shortage of microprocessors has forced Skoda to stop production of all its models, and the company is working to find a solution to this problem as quickly as possible. The company’s priority is to maintain employment and ensure that full production capacity can resume at the end of next year.
The decision to halt production at Skoda’s factories will have a significant impact on the company’s 180,000 workers. Many of them have already experienced cuts in production and are now receiving only 15 percent of the minimum wage. This downtime in the factories will further impact their livelihoods.
Customers who have ordered new Skoda cars will also be affected by this decision. Many of them have already paid for their cars, and now they will have to wait even longer to receive them. This is particularly problematic for a large group of Polish customers, as Skoda is one of the most popular car brands among private customers and companies that register cars with REGON. According to data from the Association of the Polish Automobile Industry, Skoda accounted for almost 14 percent of new cars added to the Central Register of Vehicles in the first three quarters of 2021.
This problem is not limited to Skoda customers, as other car buyers are also facing delays in receiving their new cars due to the shortage of semiconductors and microprocessors. As the article “A car from the showroom? You have to wait more than six months for some models” highlights, many car manufacturers are facing similar challenges.
The issue of the shortage of microprocessors is not only affecting Skoda but is also causing delays for customers of other car brands. According to estimates by Carsmile, the average waiting time for a car was around half a year back in August, and for some models and their electric versions, the wait time could be as long as eight months to a year.
The problem affects a wide range of car models and brands to varying degrees. The wait times are shorter for customers who have placed early orders for hybrid cars or have well-structured contracts with factories. Car manufacturers whose production levels are high and have a lower number of orders for small assemblies are also less affected by this issue.
Jakub Faryś, President of the Association of the Polish Automotive Industry, stated in an interview that “The problem affects, to a greater or lesser extent, almost all products.” He further adds that only early reserves have hybrid equipment or well-structured contracts with factories manufacturers whose production level and orders for small assemblies are also doing better.
