The current supply issues appear to stem from Russian attacks on the Ukrainian plants of German supplier Kromberg & Schubert. This is according to a report by Handelsblatt, citing industry sources. BMW has confirmed short-term shortages in parts supply and resulting production adjustments but has not named the supplier or the affected components.
At BMW, the plants in Regensburg, Leipzig, and Oxford were affected. In Regensburg, where models such as the X1 and X2, as well as their electric variants, the iX1 and iX2, are produced, production has since resumed. Leipzig is also expected to return to normal operations shortly. However, recovery at the Mini plant in Oxford is likely to take longer. The extent of production backlogs at the three sites remains unclear.
Škoda also experienced weeks of shortages. According to media reports, additional and night shifts were reduced. Affected models included the electric vehicles Enyaq and Elroq (DE), as well as the Kodiaq. This week, Škoda reported that production has resumed regular operations.
Kromberg & Schubert operates plants in Ukraine, including locations near Zhytomyr and Lutsk. The Zhytomyr site has been attacked multiple times in recent months, suffering significant damage to production facilities and infrastructure, which led to temporary shutdowns. In mid-October, the Lutsk plant also suspended operations following an attack. According to Ukrainian news agency Interfax, the site supplies components to manufacturers including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Porsche.
Mercedes-Benz currently reports no production disruptions. Similarly, Audi and Porsche have not reported any issues at their plants. The slow resolution of shortages is partly due to the nature of wiring harnesses themselves. Highly customised to specific vehicle models and their configurations, they are installed early in the bodywork process. An alternative production site therefore requires not only available capacity but also suitable equipment, trained personnel, and approval from the respective automaker.
Wiring harness issues already impacted automakers in 2022
Shortly after the start of the Russian invasion in spring 2022, the lack of wiring harnesses from Ukraine led to production stoppages at several European automakers. BMW halted operations at its Munich and Dingolfing plants, among others, while Regensburg and Leipzig were also affected. In Oxford, Mini production was similarly suspended. At Volkswagen, the MEB plants in Zwickau and Dresden temporarily ceased operations due to the shortage of wiring harnesses.
Manufacturers and suppliers subsequently expanded capacity outside Ukraine, including in North Africa. However, even these alternative sites are not immune to disruptions. In spring, severe flooding damaged a Kromberg & Schubert plant in Morocco. According to media reports, this affected the production of the electric Mercedes GLC in Bremen before Mercedes secured supply from other locations.
The renewed shortages highlight the challenges of securing supply chains for complex vehicle electrical systems. Parallel production of identical wiring harnesses at multiple sites could reduce dependency but would naturally increase costs and effort for manufacturers and suppliers.
handelsblatt.com (DE)
