WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is pressuring companies involved in the semiconductor supply chain to be more transparent as the global chips shortage continues to wreak havoc across many industries, officials said.
Commerce Secretary and National Economic Council Director convened several companies today Thursday to discuss how to respond more rapidly to shutdowns around the world, brought about by the spread of the coronavirus, and what comes next for legislation to finance domestic manufacturing that’s lingered on Capitol Hill for months.
Representatives of companies including the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Samsung Electronics Co., Apple Inc., Intel Corp., General Motors, Ford Motor, and Stellantis are to attend, according to people familiar with the planning.
The shortages have frozen production and dampened sales in a variety of businesses, from cars to laptops.
This is the third such meeting to bring together various industries, from chips producers to users, and the administration’s message continues to be the same as in previous sessions. Officials have emphasized that the private sector must step up and provide more transparency if the government is to successfully address the shortage in the medium term.
Now, however, the administration seems to be heightening the pressure on companies, many of whom have been reluctant to provide information detailing their supply-and-demand structures.
