RENO COUNTY—The global shortage of computer chips is getting worse and impacting additional businesses in Kansas.
The Collins Bus plant at 415 West 6th in South Hutchinson announced this week they have shut down due to a shortage of semiconductor chips.
“Due to the global chip shortage, we had to make the difficult decision to temporarily suspend production at our facility," according to a statement from Chris Hiebert, Vice President and General Manager.
Collins is a leader in small bus manufacturing in the United States, according to the company web site.
Hiebert said the company is planning to reopen in the next couple of weeks to complete unfinished buses. Employees continue to receive benefits and the company is "examining angles to ensure our team is supported during this challenging time," according to Hiebert.
In April of 2020, the company furloughed workers after vendors and Collins' customers were forced to close temporarily in the midst of the pandemic.
Ford also announced Thursday they will stop making pickups at the Kansas City Assembly Plant for the next two weeks due to the chip shortage.