By now, most U.S. automakers plan to halt production through the end of march to combat the ongoing spread of coronavirus here in the United States. Volvo announced Friday it would do the same for its South Carolina plant until April 14. The Swedish automaker is also stopping production in Sweden until mid-April, while its plant in Belgium will halt operations until April 5.
As of March 26, Volvo employees who can work remotely will do so, while the company also plans to reduce the number of working hours. As with other automakers who have followed a similar path, executives made the decision as a gesture toward preserving the health and safety of its workforce.
Hakan Samuelsson, Volvo’s CEO, said in a statement, “With the help of valuable supporting programs put in place by governments and authorities, we have been able to act quickly.” In the U.S., Volvo produces its new S60 sedan near Charleston, South Carolina.
As Europe and North America now grapple with the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Volvo actually reopened four manufacturing plants in China that had been halted. The company says showroom traffic in China is returning to normal as the country emerges from its own struggles to contain the spread.
Speaking of Volvo, if you’re a current owner then you’ll want to take notice of a recent recall affecting 2019 – 2020 models. Those cars will need a software update to fix an issue with their automatic emergency breaking system.
