The shortage of semiconductors begins to be noticed in home appliances

A piece as small as a microchip has managed to stop car production lines around the world. In the case of Aragón, the shortage of the so-called semiconductors has already affected that of the Opel-Stellantis plant in Figueruelas, which stopped for a week in February and continues to have to reduce production on occasional shifts, with the consequent effect on auxiliary industry. In addition, the lack of these electronic components has slowed down the manufacturing pace of washing machines at BSH Electrodomesticos in La Cartuja.

If this situation continues, the following effect will be noticed in appliance stores. The large chains assure that, at the moment, the distribution has full warehouses, but some smaller ones are already noticing delays when ordering special models, such as some built-in dishwashers or refrigerators that are out of the most common sizes. Everything that is not in stock takes longer to get.

in the coming months

The global semiconductor crisis is a situation never before experienced, in which a perfect storm has occurred after joining the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, the increase in technology consumption brought about by the confinements and the lack of manufacturers. Spanish and European producers of these components, whose monopoly is concentrated in Asia and the United States, among other factors.

"There is not going to be a problem of shortages of washing machines or refrigerators, but there is in specific products, which is going to be accentuated the more components depend on third parties," they explain from Aecoc, the national association that brings together producers, manufacturers and distributors of the major chains, in sectors ranging from consumer goods to electronics. "The general consumer may not be experiencing it yet, but if the shortage continues, probably yes," they consider.

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In smaller chain stores, what they are beginning to see is longer lead times for appliance orders that are off the charts. "Now more or less we all have merchandise because we are getting products if it is not from one supplier, from another," says Antonio Tornos, founder of Tornos Appliances in Zaragoza, but "it shows in products where there is no 'stock' and we depend on the manufacturer ". This would be more focused on first producing the devices with the most demand.

From the employers of manufacturers and distributors, they point out that in the face of the shortage of chips, "manufacturers are concentrating production on products that require fewer third-party components to guarantee that the plant is operational and facilitate deliveries to the supplier by making it easy", in addition to those that sell the most.

"Any appliance, however simple it may be, has semiconductors", recalls Tornos. Despite the wide range of global manufacturers, the lack of components affects everyone. "There are many washing machines of many brands, but dishwashers depending on which models we cannot find," confesses the seller.

Built-in and American refrigerators

José Luis Rojo, founder of Europa Electrodomesticos, comments that "there are many problems with dishwashers, something that has never happened before. There are brands that take up to two months to complete and the normal is one or two weeks. Especially those that can be integrated," he explains.

"Integration is very scarce, also in washing machines," adds Eva Cerdán, from Almacenes Paymar, of the Euronics chain. Among the models that are most difficult to obtain would be the two-door American refrigerators because "they are not in stock" and the manufacturers "do not dare to say when they will be available". An order of this type can go from taking two weeks to four months.

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To this, Rojo adds that the shipping companies that come, especially from China, "have raised the price of transport and made the product more expensive." The sector believes this increase will be reflected in prices in a few months.

“I have been in this for half a century and I have never known anything like it,” says Rojo, referring to the pandemic and the supply problem.

"We did not identify a critical situation", but the problem remains "latent"

From Aecoc, they emphasize that at this time their warehouses are full so "we do not identify a critical situation", but the problem remains "latent" because the world production of semiconductors continues to not cover the demand of all the sectors that demand them such as computers , mobiles and tablets. In a month, one of the periods in which sales traditionally pick up in the sector will begin, with the start of the cold season, and it will be seen if products are running out. In any case, they believe that "for 80% or 90% of the market there will be no impact."

To this we must add that the economic crisis that has come after the health continues to affect sales. "The problem is uncertainty because many people are still in ERTE, they don't know what will happen to their jobs," says Cerdán. For this reason, she assures that the renovation of an appliance is delayed. "Before, a washing machine was changed when a noise was heard and now, until it stops working, many people are not changing it."

In any case, the balance has not been as negative as other activities weighed down by the pandemic. "The year hasn't been bad," says Rojo, because "since people are at home, they have thought about changing many devices."

"People have realized that since they have to spend more hours at home, they want a better refrigerator or washing machine. And since they haven't gone on vacation, they have bought a better television," Tornos gives as examples. He considers that "our sector, within the bad, we are lucky to be a product of first necessity and we have been able to bear it", although there have been many small self-employed who have not endured the break of a month and a half in March last year and the uncertainty of de-escalation. "There have been people who have been ruined along the way," he laments.

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