Robot maker Yaskawa says supply 'imbalance' prolonging chip crunch

Chairman says outlook for resuming China production 'unpredictable'

20220425 Yaskawa

Japan's Yaskawa Electric is a major producer of industrial robots, motors and other parts used in a wide range of industries. (Photo by Shinya Sawai) 

WATARU SUZUKI, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- The race to secure chipmaking components has created a supply chain "imbalance" that is likely to prolong the semiconductor shortage for the foreseeable future, according to the head of Japanese robot maker Yaskawa Electric.

"If every company placed all of their inventory of components on a marketplace, there would be sufficient supply," Chairman and President Hiroshi Ogasawara said in an interview with Nikkei Asia on Monday. "But some companies have stockpiled a significant number of certain components and are not sharing them. This imbalance is the biggest problem today."

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