Businesses are struggling to get back to the office due to a mass shortage of microchips. Firms are desperately trying to source electronic equipment but face having to wait up until December.
Electronic markers are also reporting prices for chips rocketing by up to 600 per cent.
It comes as the shortage is threatening to shut down swathes of the car industry across the world. Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen and Stellantis indicated they were poised to slash production due to a lack of the vital components.
Many were forced to close shop in the depths of the pandemic and since reopening they have had to battle electronics makers for supplies of the chips. Microchips are are used in everything from vehicles to smartphones and home appliances.
Director of electronic manufacturing firm Saturn Solutions Philip Saunders told the Today programme: ‘It’s had a massive impact for us really.
‘We’ve gone through 18 months where our customers haven’t been doing any projects with us.
‘Now they’re starting to want to set their offices up for the return to work and they’re coming to us and they’re wanting to buy the equipment.
‘But we can’t source it, some of the stuff we’re quoting for we’re looking at December before we can get hold of the network equipment that people need to be able to connect and get their offices open.
‘They’re coming to us and saying they’ve signed a lease for a landlord and we want to be in in six weeks.’
