Yahoo Finance Britain’s car industry returns to work
A string of car firms have restarted work as Britain slowly returns to life after the coronavirus shutdown.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Ford and Vauxhall all brought workers back on Monday after a scramble to install new measures which will keep staff safe.
About 2,000 employees have returned to work at JLR’s Solihull plant, around a quarter of the normal number. The single shift will build the company’s Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar and F-Pace models at a rate of around 1,000 a week - less than a third of the usual level.
JLR is also restarting work at its factories in Slovakia, where it builds the Land Rover Discovery and Defender cars, and in Austria, where the Jaguar E-Pace and the electric Jaguar I-Pace are made under contract with Magna.
Tough cleaning and social distancing regimes have been put in place, and all working practices in which staff have to come within 6ft of each other been reviewed.
To protect employees when they have to get close together – for example, when fitting a bumper, which takes two people – they are required to wear protective gear. Some processes are being re-engineered to allow social distancing.
Thermal cameras are being used to identify any people on site with symptoms of Covid-19. Employees will be sent home if they have a high temperature.
JLR is Britain’s biggest car maker. The Solihull opening follows a restart last week at its Wolverhampton plant, where 300 staff are building engines.
Des Quinn, of trade union Unite, said: “Some people were understandably a little nervous about returning to work but JLR – and all the manufacturers – have put in place measures which are in line or better than government advice.
“With Parliament not back yet you can see why some people might question why they should return to work. However, workers understand the car industry cannot afford to be damaged any more by coronavirus.”
JLR aims to open its Halewood factory in early June building its Evoque and Discovery Sport vehicles, but there is no date yet set for the Castle Bromwich plant, which produces the poorly selling Jaguar XE, XF and F-Type cars.
Solihull will act as a test bed for new working practices at other factories. JLR sources said that a return to normal productino levels will depend on how much demand there is for new cars.
Industry sales across Europe have collapsed because of the pandemic, with the UK alone falling 97pc in April and 44pc in March.
The Government urged manufacturers to keep working though the coronavirus lockdown. But with dealers still shut, manufacturers are reluctant to start churning out vehicles that cannot yet be sold.
Vauxhall’s van factory in Luton also restarted on Monday, with about half of the 1,600 staff returning to the production lines.
It is not yet known when Vauxhall’s Astra plant in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire will return to work.
Ford’s engine plants in Dagenham in Essex and Bridgend in Wales kicked off production again too. Both companies have installed protective measures such as screens between staff and medical checks.
Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin and Bentley have already begun working again at their UK sites.
However, Nissan does not expect to start producing cars at its giant Sunderland plant until June at the earliest. Honda's Swindon plant is also shut until at least next month.
Toyota’s Deeside engine factory opened last week but its other major facility near Derby has yet to set a date for re-opening.
Further restarts took place in the US, where the automotive industry employs nearly one million people and is responsible for 6pc of national economic output.
Ford, Fiat Chrysler and General Motors all resumed work at some of their plants. Carmakers and their suppliers – many of whom returned to action last week – are desperate to end stoppages that have seen them haemorrhage cash.
The construction industry is also continuing to open back up. Housebuilder Redrow began a gradual return on Monday with social distancing rules.
Redrow reopened its sales centres and show homes on Monday, following updated guidance issued by the Government to re-start England’s housing market. Potential house buyers have to book appointments and before arriving.
