With the highest corona peak a little behind us, more and more European car manufacturers are looking at the restart of the stopped production, but Nissan makes a very different decision.
Audi
In the coming weeks, work will be resumed in more and more factories of Audi. That says the brand in an official statement. Audi’s parent company Volkswagen coordinates the entire factory restart and supplier delivery of products. The focus is now first on the safety of all employees. For example, in every location we look at how employees can keep as much distance from each other and other safety measures are taken in places where this is not possible. In addition, special shifts are introduced to limit the number of people in the factories. Car production will start slowly before May 1, the factory where engines are built welcomes personnel again this week. Audi ceased production in mid-March due to the corona outbreak.
Seat
According to Reuters, everyone at Seat is busy behind the scenes to reopen its Spanish factories, the brand was told. Many measures are also taken at Seat to ensure the health of employees. Car production will not be nearly as fast as before the corona crisis, the spokesman said. The factories around Barcelona have to open their doors again on Monday. They would then have been closed for six weeks.
Ferrari
At Ferrari, it is already very busy in a small hall of the Maranello factory because of the production of respirators, but the Italian sports car brand is now also looking at starting up regular production together with its employees. Employees are currently being tested for the virus on a voluntary basis. This has now happened to about 500 of the total of 4,000 factory employees. “These tests allow us to estimate the health status of our staff,” said Ferrari’s HR manager, Michele Antoniazzi. As soon as the Italian government agrees, Ferrari plans to reopen its factories in more concrete terms.
Nissan
Very different steps are being taken at Nissan, as the Japanese headquarters will be closed for at least 16 days. Nissan is doing this despite the Japanese government’s call to leave offices open so that the economy can continue to run. Nissan sends a total of 15,000 employees home. In Japan, the number of corona cases has risen sharply in recent weeks.