Porsche and Rolls-Royce follow into the footsteps of Ferrari and Lamborghini and announced stop production due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19).
As from the coming week, Porsche will suspend production for an initial period of two weeks. By taking this step, the sports car manufacturer is responding to the significant acceleration in the rate of infection caused by the coronavirus and the resultant measures implemented by the relevant authorities. In addition to the primary protection of the workforce, bottlenecks in global supply chains no longer allow orderly production. At the same time, Porsche is preparing for a decline in demand and securing its financial strength with these decisions. The parent plant in Zuffenhausen and the production location in Leipzig will be closed from Saturday (21 March 2020). These steps have been taken as part of an orderly process and in close cooperation with the works council.
“With these measures, our company contributes to the protection of the workforce and the reduction of the spread of the coronavirus. The actual consequences are not yet predictable. It is therefore too early for forecasts. What is clear is that 2020 will be a very challenging year,” says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. “We can only overcome the pandemic together and by taking rigorous measures.” Against this background, Porsche is fulfilling its entrepreneurial and social responsibility and stopping production. The situation will continuously be re-assessed.
In addition to suspending production, Porsche has decided on a number of intensified measures: there is a ban on business travel, for example, ‘mobile working’ has been greatly extended, and meetings will now take place only by video or conference calls.
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ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS TO SUSPEND PRODUCTION
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced that production at the company’s Goodwood-based manufacturing plant will be suspended from Monday 23 March for two weeks. In order to further secure the health and welfare of the employees of the luxury company this suspension will be followed by an already-planned two-week Easter maintenance shutdown.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced that production at the company’s Goodwood-based manufacturing plant will be suspended from Monday 23 March for two weeks. In order to further secure the health and welfare of the employees of the company this suspension will be followed by an already-planned two-week Easter maintenance shutdown.
The day-to-day operations of the company will be assured by non-production employees who will remain at work at the company’s head office on the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex or who will work from home on a rotational basis. Social distancing measures have been introduced throughout the company.
This unprecedented action has been taken following the introduction of additional measures by the UK Government to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, “This action has not been taken lightly, but the health and well-being of our exceptional workforce is first and foremost in our minds. We are a tight-knit community at the Home of Rolls‑Royce and I have no doubt that our resilience will shine through during this extraordinary time.” He continued.
