Dutch semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia has appealed to its China-based subsidiaries to work with its European leadership to resume disrupted operations, issuing an open letter on Thursday that underscored the urgency of restoring its supply chain after months of internal gridlock.
The company’s Dutch branch said it has repeatedly tried to re-establish communication with its Chinese units but has received no cooperation.
Nexperia — a major supplier of essential, low-cost chips used in vehicles and a wide range of electronics — has seen its production network strained, raising concerns for automakers that rely on its components.
Interruptions have already contributed to delays and pauses in automotive manufacturing.
Nexperia produces the majority of its wafers at its Hamburg, Germany plant, which are then shipped to Dongguan, China for final packaging before being delivered to customers.
The breakdown in coordination between the two regions has therefore stalled a critical stage of its operations.
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Escalation After Government Intervention
The Dutch government assumed control of Nexperia on September 30. Although the company is headquartered in the Netherlands, it is owned by China’s Wingtech.
Officials defended the takeover as a safeguard to prevent the previous chief executive from relocating key European operations to China and weakening the company’s presence in the Netherlands.
Following the intervention, Beijing responded on October 4 by suspending exports of completed Nexperia products.
While some restrictions have since been eased, the company’s China division also declared that it no longer recognized the authority of European management. Later, on October 26, Nexperia’s European arm halted wafer shipments to China, pointing to overdue payments.
Beijing and Brussels Push for Resolution
Diplomatic pressure has been building around the dispute. On Wednesday, China signaled support for a negotiated, company-driven solution after a call between China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao and EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic.
Both sides urged Nexperia’s leadership in Europe and China to resume dialogue and stabilize the firm’s fractured supply chain.
Within this context, Nexperia’s Dutch office reiterated its frustration in its public letter, noting that its outreach attempts — both formal and informal — had gone unanswered.
“Nexperia B.V. has made repeated and multiple attempts, both formal and informal, to re-establish the dialogue with Nexperia’s entities in China by means of direct outreach via calls, emails and proposed meetings,” the letter said.
“Regrettably, Nexperia did not receive any meaningful response,” it added.
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