"FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German carmaking giant Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) resumed production at its biggest factory on Monday as part of a broader industry drive to get back to work in Europe, where the coronavirus pandemic has hammered demand and pushed up inventory levels.
Encouraged by a fall in infection rates, Germany has eased lockdown rules and automakers are relying on the country’s ability to trace and contain new coronavirus cases to safely restore operations in Europe’s largest economy.
Volkswagen group, which also owns the Skoda, Audi, Bentley, Porsche and Seat brands, is resuming production at its plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, as well as at factories in Portugal, Spain, Russia, South Africa, and the Czech Republic this week.
Production capacity at Wolfsburg will be just 10%-15% to begin with, and will reach around 40% of pre-crisis levels after about a week, Andreas Tostmann, the VW brand’s board member responsible for production, told Reuters.
...Fiat Chrysler has restarted Italian van production at its plant in Atessa and some other operations in the country, including preparatory works for upcoming hybrid and electric vehicles at Melfi and Turin’s Mirafiori plants.
Swedish truck maker AB Volvo (VOLVb.ST), whose brands include Mack and Renault trucks, is also looking to restart output, despite saying last week its net orders had turned negative since the end of March as customers cancelled more trucks than they ordered.
...From May 3, it plans to resume production in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the United States.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...tory-after-coronavirus-shutdown-idUSKCN2290J2
Encouraged by a fall in infection rates, Germany has eased lockdown rules and automakers are relying on the country’s ability to trace and contain new coronavirus cases to safely restore operations in Europe’s largest economy.
Volkswagen group, which also owns the Skoda, Audi, Bentley, Porsche and Seat brands, is resuming production at its plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, as well as at factories in Portugal, Spain, Russia, South Africa, and the Czech Republic this week.
Production capacity at Wolfsburg will be just 10%-15% to begin with, and will reach around 40% of pre-crisis levels after about a week, Andreas Tostmann, the VW brand’s board member responsible for production, told Reuters.
...Fiat Chrysler has restarted Italian van production at its plant in Atessa and some other operations in the country, including preparatory works for upcoming hybrid and electric vehicles at Melfi and Turin’s Mirafiori plants.
Swedish truck maker AB Volvo (VOLVb.ST), whose brands include Mack and Renault trucks, is also looking to restart output, despite saying last week its net orders had turned negative since the end of March as customers cancelled more trucks than they ordered.
...From May 3, it plans to resume production in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the United States.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...tory-after-coronavirus-shutdown-idUSKCN2290J2
