Nissan says its huge factory in Smyrna, Tennessee, will close for two weeks starting Monday due to computer chip shortages brought on by a coronavirus outbreak in Malaysia.
The shutdown is among the longest at any U.S. auto plant of this size since the semiconductor shortage, which has hobbled auto production worldwide, started to hit late last year.
Nissan said Tuesday that it ran short of chips due to a COVID-19 outbreak at a chip factory in Malaysia. It expects production to resume Aug. 30.
The 6 million-square-foot Tennessee factory employs 6,700 people and makes six Nissan models, including the Rogue small SUV, the company’s top-selling U.S. vehicle.
Analysts say the closure of the large Nissan factory for two weeks is a sign that the semiconductor shortage may not be coming to an end late this year as many auto executives had hoped.