Transportation
Mercedes, BMW Step Up Response to China Export Curbs to Avoid Shortages
The body of an automobile at the Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus in Berlin, Germany.
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergAutomakers in the US and Europe raised concerns about China’s export controls on rare earth metals, as Beijing’s move threatens to disrupt global car production.
Mercedes-Benz Group AG and BMW AG are in talks with suppliers to prevent shortages of components containing these materials, with the former discussing stockpiling certain items. Meanwhile, Ford Motor Co. said it’s taking longer for some parts to get through China’s approval process for exporting rare earths, with shipping costs rising in some cases.