While the automotive industry faces a shortage of components necessary for the design of vehicles, Renault announces this Friday to anticipate a loss of production of "close to 500,000 vehicles over the year".
170,000 vehicles could not be produced in the third quarter, with many factories closed around the world due in particular to a sufficient supply of semiconductors, electronic components essential to the manufacture of automobile dashboards.
Renault sold 599,027 vehicles in the third quarter of 2021, a decrease of 22.3% compared to a third quarter of 2020 which marked the recovery of the automotive industry after the paralysis of the first months of the Covid. The French group, however, confirmed its operating margin forecasts for the year, at 2.8% of turnover.
The decrease in turnover, limited to -13.4%, is explained by "the positive impact of the Group's commercial policy geared towards better valuation of sales", according to Renault.
"The actions taken to continue to lower costs and optimize the valuation of our production allow us to confirm our guidance for the year despite the deterioration in the availability of components in the third quarter and reduced visibility for the fourth quarter. », Declared the group's chief financial officer, Clotilde Delbos.
Supply concerns
For several months, the automotive sector has been facing supply concerns due to the resumption of the epidemic in Asia, where the vast majority of semiconductors are assembled. This shortage led to the closure of several factories in September, including sites maintained by Renault. “Before the summer, we were at higher speeds than usual. We were on a very good dynamic. It's a shame that it is interrupted because of the shortage of semiconductors ”, regretted Monday, October 18 in the columns of Parisian Gilles Henri, elected CFE-CGC to the works council of the Renault plant in Sandouville, near Le Havre (Seine-Maritime).
Manufacturers do not all do the same.
Electric vehicle maker Tesla managed to post record profits in the third quarter despite logistical problems hampering its production lines, warning however that its ramp-up would depend on the availability of certain elements.
"A variety of challenges, from semiconductor shortages to congestion in ports to blackouts, have impacted our ability to run factories at full capacity," the group acknowledged in a statement. communicated.
Tesla, however, managed to deliver an unprecedented number of 241,300 vehicles worldwide over the period, a figure up 20% from the previous quarter, 76% year on year.
