According to Bloomberg, the amount of time it’s taking for chip-starved companies to get orders filled stretched to 21 weeks in August, indicating the shortages that have crippled auto production and held back growth in the electronics industry are getting worse.

The report pointed out that Chip lead times increased by 6 days to about 21 weeks in August from the previous month, according to research by Susquehanna Financial Group. That was already the longest wait time since the firm began tracking the data in 2017.

Bloomberg: Chip lead times reached record 21 weeks-SemiMedia

While lead times for ADI and Broadcom chips got worse, there are positive signs for power management chips and optoelectronic components, Susquehanna analyst Chris Rolland said in a research note. 

Bloomberg further pointed out that the semiconductor shortage have hampered recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly for carmakers. AlixPartners, a global consulting firm, estimated the global automotive industry will lose about $110 billion in sales.