Chips are down as semiconductor shortage causes chaos The global shortage of semiconductors has thrown entire industries into chaos as companies battle to secure dwindling supplies 9 May 2021 • 9:00am Evonik Industries, a chemicals company based in Germany’s industrial heartland, is not a household name but, for a short period in 2012, it almost brought the world’s automotive giants to their knees. An Evonik factory producing an obscure chemical used in cars’ braking and fuel systems was briefly closed after an explosion that killed two workers. Production of the chemical was so concentrated – up to half of the world’s supply came from the plant – that it threatened to curtail manufacturing, leading to crisis meetings in Detroit.