Volkswagen Group is suspending production at factories across Europe

the culture of deference

Volkswagen Group, the world’s biggest carmaker, is suspending production at factories across Europe as the coronavirus pandemic hits sales and disrupts supply chains, the company said on Tuesday.

So this must be it for all dealers. How many dealerships will survive the virus as I cannot imagine anyone is going to go car shopping in the next 3 months.

The German carmaker, which owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat and Skoda brands, also said that uncertainty about the fallout from coronavirus meant it was impossible to give forecasts for its performance this year.

“Given the present significant deterioration in the sales situation and the heightened uncertainty regarding parts supplies to our plants, production is to be suspended in the near future at factories operated by group brands,” chief executive Herbert Diess said on Tuesday.


Volkswagen’s powerful works council concluded it was not possible for workers to maintain a safe distance from each other to prevent contagion, and recommended a suspension of production at its factories from Friday.
Production will be halted at VW’s Spanish plants, in Setubal in Portugal, Bratislava in Slovakia and at the Lamborghini and Ducati plants in Italy before the end of this week, Mr Diess said.


https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/volkswagen-group-to-suspend-production-at-factories-across-europe-1.4205123

GM228

Fiat Chrysler, the PSA Group and Renault have already made similar announcements yesterday.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/03/16/business/fiat-chrysler-factories-coronavirus/index.html

the culture of deference

Nissan has announced that production at its Sunderland plant has been suspended as the coronavirus crisis deepens.
It made the revelation just a day after Vauxhall's parent firm said it was to temporarily shut down output at its Ellesmere Port and Luton plants.

godtabh

the culture of deference wrote: »

Nissan has announced that production at its Sunderland plant has been suspended as the coronavirus crisis deepens.
It made the revelation just a day after Vauxhall's parent firm said it was to temporarily shut down output at its Ellesmere Port and Luton plants.

I wonder will Sunderland actually open again

the culture of deference

godtabh wrote: »

I wonder will Sunderland actually open again

Good question,

some car manufacturers will use this to downsize, everything will have to close.



The autosector is at the heart of Europe's manufacturing industry, and provides direct and indirect employment to nearly 14 million people, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.


https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/16/business/fiat-chrysler-factories-coronavirus/index.html

Toyotafanboi

BMW have came out and said it's closing its plants too.

I'd say the actual spread of the virus through the staff is only half the reason, looking to scale back on production is probably a big thing too.

tossy

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

I'd say the actual spread of the virus through the staff is only half the reason, looking to scale back on production is probably a big thing too.

Unfortunately this is true a lot of companies in all sectors will use this as a reason to shed weight, just like they did in 2008 even if they were relatively healthy at the time.

Rowley Birkin QC

I wonder if they will be asked to mobilise their engineering facilities and workforces towards COVID related products.