OXFORD’S Mini Plant will reopen for ‘a number of teams’ next week.
The factory stood down production for two weeks, on March 7, due to a combination of the situation in Ukraine and a shortage of microchips.
A spokesperson for Mini told the Oxford Mail: “The war in Ukraine has a significant impact on the country’s automotive supply industry.
“Our prime concern remains the safety and welfare of our suppliers.
“We are continuing to engage in intensive discussions with our suppliers.
Read again: Staff at Oxford Mini Plant worried they will lose pay
“Together we are continually assessing the parts situation and defining measures to secure production in the best possible way to meet the continued high demand for customers.
“We have already announced that Plant Oxford will be stood down until March 18, but we can confirm we will be gradually working to fill the systems at Oxford and Swindon.
“There will be a number of teams in production working at both plants again from March 21.
“The situation remains volatile. We still expect that supply restrictions due to the war in Ukraine, combined with the ongoing semiconductor bottlenecks may lead to further production adjustments.”
Last month, the factory closed for a week due to a ‘global semiconductor shortage’ – essentially a lack of microchips.
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced last month that global sales of microchips totalled approximately £409 billion in 2021, the highest ever annual total, and an increase of 26.2 per cent compared to 2020.
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