While China produces 25% of the cars in the world, but also a lot of spare parts, auto parts suppliers are seeing their inventories decrease due to the coronavirus crisis. If some Chinese and Italian factories cannot return to normal production by the end of March, the situation could become even more tense.

Renault, BMW, or Fiat-Chrysler ... The coronavirus crisis could cause supply problems for all these manufacturers. Like many other sectors, the automotive industry relies heavily on China for supplies, while 25% of the world's cars are made there. A situation such as the epidemic, and its progression in the 73 countries affected for the time being, make certain equipment manufacturers fear a shortage of stock.

Factories idling, or stopping

For most of the spare parts usually made in China, the auto parts suppliers have been able, since the end of January, to ensure their production elsewhere in the world. But some manufacturers supply unique pieces, the molds of which are exclusively found in China. This is particularly the case of the equipment supplier Novares, which sees four of its Chinese factories operating at only 50% of their capacity, while the last, based in Wuhan, the epicenter of the Covid-19 epidemic , is at a standstill.

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"As for parts exclusively produced in Wuhan, there was a fairly long supply tube which will dry up this week, or next week," predicted at the microphone of Europe 1 Pierre Boulet, CEO of Novares. From then on, "we're going to start having breaks".

And supply problems have already started for some manufacturers, such as Fiat, which had to shut down one of these factories based in Serbia, for lack of parts. But China is not the only home that will pose problems for the automotive industry. The epidemic in Italy is also likely to be a problem since the equipment manufacturer MTA, which supplies all European manufacturers, had to close its factory in Codogno, in Lombardy, the Italian region most affected by Covid-19.

Out of stock by the end of March?

"If the Italian situation lasts a few days, I think it will have an impact on French factories", even advances to the microphone of Europe 1 Claude Cham, the president of the Federation of industries of equipment for vehicles (FIEV). "When I look at the supply cycle, my concern is more about the end of the month, beginning of April." Given the supply times which are between four and six weeks, I think this is where we will have the most tense situation. "