MILAN -- A worsening in microchip supply conditions triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine is forcing Stellantis to slow operations at its key Melfi plant in Italy next month, unions said.
Ukraine is a key exporter of neon gas, which is needed to produce already scarce automotive microchips, while Moscow's invasion is also disrupting transport routes.
"The company has made it clear that in recent weeks, the dramatic situation of the war between Russia and Ukraine, with those territories as leading producers of raw material to produce microchips, makes any kind of production planning harder and harder," metalworker unions said in a joint statement on Tuesday after meeting the company.
