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Oxford Mini production to halt due to chip shortage

AFP/Getty Images Mini at the Cowley plantAFP/Getty Images
The plant in Oxford employs 4,500 people and had been producing 5,000 cars a week

Production at Oxford's Mini plant will be suspended for three working days due to a shortage of computer chips.

BMW said its Cowley factory will not manufacture cars on Friday or on Tuesday and Wednesday after the bank holiday weekend.

A spokeswoman said the company had taken steps to minimise further disruption and was monitoring the situation on a daily basis.

Other companies are also being hit by a global shortage of computer chips.

Jaguar Land Rover has suspended production at its Castle Bromwich and Halewood factories this week for the same reason.

Getty Images Mini plant productionGetty Images
Three days of production at the plant will be lost due to a computer chip shortage

The shortage has developed due to a rapid recovery in demand for chips from the motor industry, at a time when available supplies were being snapped up by the consumer electronics sector.

The plant in the city employs 4,500 people and produces about 5,000 cars a week.

In September 2020, BMW postponed a decision to cut 400 out of 950 agency staff at the factory due to "unexpected improvements" in demand.

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