Global automotive chips shortages worsened by a recent fire damaging Renesas' plant in northern Japan are casting clouds over normal shipments at Taiwan's automotive PCB vendors as well as other components suppliers, according to industry sources.

With abundant orders in hand, most automotive PCB makers are running at high capacity utilization to meet shipment schedules set by clients, yet with their actual shipments dragged down by shortages of car chips and other auto components, the sources said.

The sources continued that the entire supply chain of automotive components has yet to fully recover from the pandemic impacts, with suppliers of many components other than chips and PCBs still plagued by insufficient labor force.

It will take time for the automotive components supply chain to return to normal operations, and PCB makers can only take a step-by-step approach in dealing with their shipments, the sources said.