BMW has announced that the construction of its EUR 1 billion factory in Debrecen (225 km east of Budapest) will not stop and recruitment will continue, writes Népszava.It is noteworthy that in recent days Hungarian car manufacturers have announced factory shutdowns, including Audi in Győr (120 km west of Budapest), Suzuki in Esztergom (50 km northwest) and Mercedes at Kecskemét (90 km southeast).At the same time, it is worth recalling that it was during the 2008-2009 global economic crisis that Mercedes’ investment in Kecskemét was announced, and questions were still raised as to whether the new plant would be built.
Author: World_Newz Mon
Volvo Cars Shutters Europe, U.S. Plants as Virus Hits Supplies
Volvo Cars has started a shutdown of its factories in Europe and the U.S., mirroring similar moves by global carmakers as the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on supply chains and staffing levels.
Tesla shuts down California and New York factories, keeps Nevada open during coronavirus crisis
Tesla will suspend most operations at its Fremont, Calif., and Buffalo, N.Y, factories at the end of the workday on Monday to bring itself in line with local measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the company has confirmed in a press release.The automaker will continue vehicle deliveries and service as possible, and both its charging network and battery factory in Sparks, Nev., will remain open, as the local sheriff has deemed the facility an “essential” business.Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Honda and Nissan have temporarily suspended operations at all of their U.S. factories.
Nissan’s UK factory closed until further notice over coronavirus
LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) – Nissan said on Friday its British car factory would remain closed until further notice over the coronavirus outbreak, having previously said it would be shut until the end of the week.
Ford is re-running its financial crisis playbook as it borrows $15.4 billion to avert the coronavirus crisis
On Thursday, Ford announced that it would tap $US15.4 billion in credit lines.The level of borrowing is reminiscent of the carmaker’s actions prior to the financial crisis, when it effectively mortgaged all its assets to borrow $US24 billion, averting the bankruptcies that General Motors an Chrysler endured.The program expands on measures previously announced by Ford Credit.
Leaked Tesla email contradicts layoff reports, says ‘essential’ employees should go to work at the factory, which is in a shelter-in-place zone, amid coronavirus outbreak
Late Wednesday night, Valerie Workman, an attorney at Tesla, sent out an email reiterating guidelines for working at the company’s Fremont, California factory.Workman reiterated that “essential” employees who can’t work from home should continue to report to work at the factory.Many factory workers are hourly and cannot work from home, and Tesla’s definition of “essential” could include a lot of Fremont’s 10,000 staff.
Hyundai Motor’s Czech plant to suspend output for two weeks due to coronavirus
SEOUL, March 19 (Reuters) – Hyundai Motor's Czech plant will suspend production from March 23 to April 3 due to the coronavirus outbreak, a company spokesman said on Thursday.
Žilina-based Kia halts production
Žilina-based company Kia Motors Slovakia was the last carmaker in Slovakia to stay open.The measure does not include staff whose presence in the company is essential, added carmaker’s spokesperson Ján Žgravčák for the TASR newswire.Continental Púchov is doing everything to protect its staff.
Mercedes’ and Suzuki’s Hungarian plants to suspend production over coronavirus
BUDAPEST, March 18 (Xinhua) — German carmaker Mercedes-Benz and Japanese carmaker Suzuki will both halt production at their Hungarian plants located respectively in Kecskemet (Center) and in Esztergom (North), next Monday due to the coronavirus outbreak, Hungarian news agency MTI reported on Wednesday.
“Production at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Kecskemet will be suspended from Monday, at the latest, for an initial period of two weeks,” MTI reported, citing a statement of the local unit of German automotive industry giant Daimler.
“An extension of this measure will depend on further developments,” Daimler added.
“The management of Hungarian Suzuki Inc. has decided to halt production at its plant in Esztergom, north of Budapest, from March 23 until April 3 because of rising risks of the spread of the coronavirus, the local unit of Japanese car maker Suzuki said on Wednesday,” reported MTI.
German carmaker Audi announced on Tuesday that it would halt production at its plant in Gyor, north..
Honda, Audi plants in Mexico suspend operations amid pandemic
MEXICO CITY, March 18 (Xinhua) — Japanese Honda and German Audi automobiles said Wednesday they were temporarily suspending production in their plants in Mexico due to a lack of inputs and a weak demand for vehicles amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Honda said it will idle its plant in central Guanajuato state from March 23 to 31, as part of a larger company strategy that has also affected plants in Canada and the United States.
The measure will cut North American regional output by some 40,000 vehicles, the company said in a statement.
“Approximately 27,600 Honda partners in North America” will be affected by this temporary suspension, it said.
Audi, which opened a plant in Mexico in 2016, said it will halt production from March 23 to April 13 because of a lack of inputs, a problem that has also impacted its plants in Germany, Belgium and Hungary.
The company said its plant in Mexico's central Puebla state lacks parts and materials for the Audi Q5, and has also experienced delays in t..