Sony, Toyota Face Weeks of Downtime in Japan

The aftermath of the recent earthquake and tsunami that crippled much of Japan is being felt by two of the country’s largest manufacturers, Sony and Toyota. While Toyota is hoping to open some plants next week, the supply chain and power grid are still question marks.

“This will be played out not in days, but in weeks,” said John Hoffecker, head of the automotive practice at consulting firm AlixPartners LLP.

Stocks for both companies are down 12% since the day before the earthquake. Sony is looking at approximately 2 weeks worth of available inventory before the work-stoppage truly hits their bottom line. Toyota is looking at shortages for up to 95,000 units with 60% of them bound for export.

Sony spokesperson Chisato Kitsukawa said, “The current situation is still difficult.”