Japan’s Rohm Co. says that vital semiconductors for automobiles and industrial machinery will likely remain in short supply at least throughout next year, adding to ominous warnings about further fallout from the global chip crisis.
The Kyoto-based chipmaker — whose customers include Toyota Motor Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. — has been hampered by a severe shortage of key materials as well as full production lines, said Chief Executive Officer Isao Matsumoto.
The company started boosting its capacity last September and plans to spend another ¥70 billion ($636 million) in the current fiscal year, but the full contribution from such investments won’t be seen immediately because production machinery is taking longer to arrive, he added.