Steel Markets

GM, Toyota Ramp Up; Other Automakers Still Struggle with Chip Shortage
Written by Michael Cowden
June 18, 2021
Some automakers have ramped up production and shipments after securing enough microchips, but others continue to struggle with the global semiconductor shortage.
Stellantis (formerly Chrysler) will idle is assembly plants in Belvidere, Ill.; Windsor, Ontario; and Toluca, Mexico, for the rest of June “due to the unprecedented global microchip shortage,” a company spokeswoman said.
The downtime is not entirely the result of chip shortages. The Belvidere plant had been previously scheduled to be down the week of June 28, and the Windsor facility had been scheduled to be down the week of June 21.
The three plants were also down the weeks of June 7 and June 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 spokeswoman said.
Nissan, too, is cranking up production again – but not at all plants.
The Japanese automaker will run a regular production schedule (five days a week, eight hours a day) in July at its plant in Smyrna, Tenn., a company spokeswoman said. The Smyrna plant also ran a regular schedule in June.
But Nissan’s assembly plant in Canton, Miss., will remain on a reduced schedule next month (four days per week, eight hours per day) just as it was this month. And the second line at the Canton plant, which makes the Altima passenger car, is scheduled to be down the weeks of July 12 and July 19, the spokeswoman said. That line was also down the weeks of June 7, 14 and 21.
That’s a contrast from some larger automakers.
General Motors continues to ramp up production and shipments thanks to an increased supply of microchips.
And Toyota is still operating all of North American facilities.
“We have been ramping back up and running at all plants,” a company spokeswoman confirmed. Still, the Japanese automaker is still “facing challenges in this evolving situation,” she added.
By Michael Cowden, Michael@SteelMarketUpdate.com

Michael Cowden
Read more from Michael CowdenLatest in Steel Markets

CRU: China’s indirect steel exports find new destination markets
The boom in China’s direct steel exports has not stopped this year, even with a rise in protectionist measures globally. The increase is driven by...

Great Lakes iron ore cargoes down in September as Cleveland tonnage slips
Iron ore shipments from US Great Lakes ports fell sharply in September, per the latest from the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) of Westlake, Ohio.

HVAC equipment shipments down through August
Although total HVAC shipments fell in August, YTD volumes remain relatively strong. Nearly 15 million units were produced in the first eight months of the year, the fourth-highest rate in our 19-year data history.

Sheet market sources slam tariffs for prolonged demand slump
Tariffs are ultimately to blame for stagnant demand in the hot-rolled coil market, domestic market sources tell SMU.

Week in Review: Sept. 29 -Oct. 3
Let’s take a quick tour of some key stories from SMU in the week of Sept. 29 - Oct. 3.