Le·Ssang·Shoe cumulative production volume from January to April 'plummets'... Impact of car semiconductors

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Je-hoon] The cumulative production volume from January to April this year of three foreign-affiliated automakers?Korea GM, Renault Samsung Motors, and SsangYong Motor?has decreased by approximately 15%. This is interpreted as a result of a combination of factors including the global shortage of automotive semiconductors and sluggish sales affecting the global automotive industry.

According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) on the 23rd, the production volume of the three companies from January to April amounted to 161,335 units. This figure represents about a 15% decrease compared to the same period last year.

Among the companies, Renault Samsung experienced the largest decline. Its production volume from January to April dropped sharply by 32.1% year-on-year to 30,994 units. SsangYong also saw a significant decrease of 31.2%, producing 21,779 units. Korea GM produced 108,562 units, down 3.8%, showing the lowest rate of decline among the three foreign-affiliated companies.

The sharp decline in production volume of the three foreign-affiliated companies is attributed to multiple factors, led by the shortage of automotive semiconductors. In the case of Korea GM, the impact of the semiconductor shortage is significant. Since February, Korea GM has reduced the operating rate of its Bupyeong Plant 2 to half due to the semiconductor shortage, and recently, the operating rates of Bupyeong Plant 1 and Changwon Plant, which produce popular models Trailblazer and Spark, have also been maintained at 50%.

SsangYong Motor has been heavily affected not only by the semiconductor shortage but also by repeated factory shutdowns due to parts delivery refusals from suppliers. Renault Samsung lowered its production target from 157,000 units to 100,000 units following the end of contract manufacturing for the Nissan Rogue, and labor-management conflicts are also hindering progress.

This production decrease contrasts with Hyundai Motor and Kia, which increased their production volumes despite the global semiconductor shortage. Hyundai and Kia's cumulative production volumes from January to April were 562,472 and 506,222 units, respectively, marking increases of 11.7% and 25.4%.

Industry insiders expect the difficulties faced by the three foreign-affiliated companies to continue for the time being. An industry official stated, "The impact of the semiconductor shortage is inevitably expected to persist for some time," adding, "Meanwhile, Renault Samsung still faces labor-management conflicts, and SsangYong has the challenge of completing corporate rehabilitation procedures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.