The first Range Rover made under new social distancing measures has left the production line at Jaguar Land Rover’s manufacturing plant in Solihull, following the recent temporary pause in production due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company says that effective social distancing, hygiene and health monitoring measures are in place following an extensive review of all production lines, engineering facilities, office areas and communal spaces as the company starts a phased return to manufacturing. With the implementation of the new protocol, staff will experience a significant number of changes to their working day from the moment they enter the site.
Audi will gradually initiate the restart of production at its plants in Europe during the coming weeks. In mid-March, the company announced the temporary suspension of production at its European sites. The background to the decision was supply bottlenecks and a drop in demand due to the corona pandemic. The upcoming regulated restart in the worldwide Audi production network together with suppliers and service providers will be coordinated with the Volkswagen Group. The main component of the restart is a comprehensive package of measures that focuses on the safety of employees. In this respect, Audi is following the guidelines of the Robert Koch Institute and the regulations of the health authorities of the respective country.
During its closure, the Groupe PSA Vauxhall site at Ellesmere Port has remained “active” and implemented a protocol of reinforced health measures. This protocol, now approved by Management, has been fully audited, in order to assess its implementation. Ellesmere Port’s Management team has invited Unite, representing plant employees, to make a final review of the safety protocols, before a resumption of manufacturing activity can begin.
