Japanese automaker Honda will suspend production in the UK between Monday and Thursday due to problems receiving the necessary supplies to feed the assembly line, in what is the third stoppage of this type.

According to the Sunday Times, quoted by the Efe agency, Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan and Vauxhall are also being forced to cut back on their activity due to staff shortages due to covid-19, as well as congestion in the United States. British ports associated with the pandemic and 'Brexit' (withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union).

The first stop at the Honda plant in Swindon (south east England) took place in early December.

The Japanese brand works with a 'just in time' production system, in which the components are received at the time they are used.

This method saves storage costs and increases efficiency, but is especially sensitive to delays in distribution.

The cumulative delay in deliveries during the first half of 2020 due to the pandemic, as well as the increase in inventory shipments to the UK before 'Brexit', have hampered the operation of British ports in recent months.

The new barriers to trade between the two sides of the English Channel, which took effect on January 01, when London broke its ties with the European Union, contribute to creating friction in the transport chains, although the United Kingdom has decided not to apply all customs controls for entry into the country for six months.

“Several car factories have experienced similar problems. Volkswagen, Nissan and General Motors had to cut production, ”said Christian Stadler, a professor of strategic leadership at Warwick Business School, quoted by Efe.

For the specialist, these frictions "demonstrate the vulnerability of supply chains in the face of external situations such as covid-19".