German carmaker Daimler said on Sept. 2 that it expects sales of its Mercedes-Benz brand to fall sharply in the third quarter due to a global shortage of semiconductors. Previously, a number of car companies, including GM and Mahindra, have cut their production and sales forecasts because of chip shortages.
"with the closure of semiconductor supplier plants in Malaysia and elsewhere, we are now facing greater challenges, so sales in the third quarter are likely to be significantly lower than in the second quarter," Daimler CEO Conlinson said in an interview.
Kang Linsong did not say how much impact the chip shortage had on production. In July, Daimler shortened working hours at factories in Germany and Hungary because of a lack of cores. But Kang Linsong says he believes Daimler is better prepared now than it was when the pandemic first emerged. "We have made the business more flexible and stable," he said. " He also said that consumers are used to the situation that they have to wait to buy some very popular products. Kang Linsong also revealed that Daimler has extended its rental service contract to ease customers' anxiety about waiting for a new car. Daimler didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Daimler maintained its profit margin forecast for this year in July after its business performed better than expected in the second quarter of this year. The company said at the time that it was preparing as many unfinished vehicles as possible so that it could be installed as soon as the chip arrived. Kang Linsong did not predict when the chip shortage would end. "the most important thing now is that consumer demand for cars still exists," he said. At some point in the future, the chip problem will also be solved. "
Toyota also said it would cut production by 40% in September due to a lack of cores. Ford announced on September 1st that it would cut its pickup truck production. Last week, Renault also extended the shutdown of three Spanish plants until the end of the year.
