Suspended Productions Around the Globe. This is Crazy!

What COVID-19 did this week?

Last week was really crazy due to the effects of COVID-19. It Suspended Production Around the Globe. Here’s the timeline.

Suspended Productions Around the Globe

March 16, 2020: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. reported that it suspends production in the majority of its European manufacturing plans due to the virus. It’s a temporary suspension that is going to be effective to March 27, 2020. Here is the list of the production plants that won't work within two weeks:

• Italy: Melfi, G. Vico (Pomigliano), Cassino, Mirafiori Carrozzerie, Grugliasco, and Modena;
• Serbia: Kragujevac
• Poland: Tychy

March 16, 2020: Group PSA has closed its production lines in Europe due to the virus. As you know Group PSA manages several brands: Peugeot, Citroёn, Opel, Vauxhall, and the respective sport and performance departments. The French-based company had scheduled suspends as follow:

• March 16: Mulhouse (France), Madrid (Spain);
• March 17: Poissy, Rennes, Sochaux (France), Zaragoza (Spain), Eisenach, Rüsselsheim (Germany), Ellesmere Port (United Kingdom), Gliwice (Poland);
• March 18: Hordain (France), Vigo (Spain), Mangualde (Portugal);
• March 19: Luton (United Kingdom), Trnava (Slovakia).

March 16, 2020: BMW Welt, the BMW Museum, and BMW Group Classic are temporarily closed. It’s valid from March 17 until further announcement. BMW Welt is expected to be closed until April 19, 2020, and the advice for the customers who have booked a vehicle collection during the affected period to contact the respective BMW Dealership directly. All the measures are taken according to the Bavarian State Government to stop the spread of coronavirus infections.

March 17, 2020: Daimler AG, most know as the producer of Mercedes, also suspends its production lines in Europe. The suspend affected Daimler’s car, van, and light commercial vehicles for an initial period of two weeks.

March 18, 2020: General Motors Co. reported that it will suspend manufacturing operations in North America due to market conditions affected by the COVID-19. The suspension is announced until March 30, 2020, but if necessary it could be extended. After that period the production is going to be re-evaluated weekly. GM is known for producing of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadilac, Holden, Baojun, and Wuling brands.

March 18, 2020: Toyota Motor Europe (TME) decided to organize a progressive suspension of its vehicles and engines/transmissions production plants for an unlimited period of time in Europe starting today on a schedule:

• Toyota Motor Manufacturing France (TMMF) in Onnaing – production already suspended
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK) in Burnaston and Deeside – on 18 March
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing Poland (TMMP) in Walbrzych and Jelcz-Laskowice – on 18 March
• Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobiles (TPCA) in Kolin, Czech Republic – on 19 March
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) in Sakarya – on 21 March

March 19, 2020: Škoda Auto closed its production lines as some of them are closed at 10:00 PM on March 18, 2020, like Mlada Boleslav, Kvasiny and Vrchalbi plants. Škoda reported that the shut down is made after consultation with Volkswagen Group and the KOVO union. The closed period is until April 6, 2020. Meanwhile, the production of Škoda models has resumed at the Chinese plants and manufacturing is continuing according to their plan in India and Russia.

March 19, 2020: Nissan reported that temporarily suspends production in the U.S., effectively from March 20 to April 6. It also reported that at the moment they don’t have employees with confirmed cases of COVID-19 at any Nissan facilities. Nissan will operate business-essential with enhanced safety measures.

Honestly, I’m tired of this situation around the globe. I hope that very soon coronavirus will be behind us. The fact that Škoda resumed its production in China sounds very optimistic. RESUME = OPTIMISM, I never know that such an equation will exist. I’m looking forward to the moment when I’m going to write about that all automotive producers will open the production lines again.