Bilfabrikker stopper produksjon
Ford stopper midlertidig sin produksjon av kjøretøy og motorer på sine fabrikker på det europeiske fastlandet for å bidra til redusert spredning av koronaviruset.
Dette starter fra torsdag 19. mars og er ventet å vare i noen uker.
Fords produksjonsanlegg i Køln og Saarlouis i Tyskland, sammen med Craiova-anlegget i Romania vil midlertidig stoppe produksjonen torsdag 19.mars.
Fords anlegg i Valencia i Spania (montering og motorproduksjon) har allerede stanset produksjonen fra 16.mars.
Det ble i går også kjent fra Volkswagen AG at man fremover stenger aktiviteten midlertidig på flere av Volkswagen-konsernets fabrikker.
Analytikere, blant annet David Leggett, som er Automotive Editor at GlobalData, forklarer at dette sannsynligvis vil gjelde svært mange bilfabrikker. Vi siterer ham på engelsk her:
"The COVID-19 crisis is impacting car companies in two ways. Firstly, supply chains are being disrupted as critical parts enter short supply. Secondly - and more seriously - demand for new cars is drying up in major markets as consumers face considerable uncertainty over the economic outlook and grapple with new priorities in their daily lives.
"For car companies, the operational costs of running manufacturing plants are considerable. If demand drops off in normal circumstances, they can tweak shift schedules to bring supply into line with a lower rate of sales. However, in response to a large and sudden loss of demand with rates of manufacturing plant capacity utilisation significantly below 50%, they will opt for a more radical course of action - temporary plant shutdowns.
"The shutdowns will put a lid on costs and eventually enable stock reduction when demand picks up, avoiding swollen inventory. Plant managers across all original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will be closely monitoring order banks and stock levels over the coming weeks. They will want to ensure that they can supply the market with fresh product as soon as demand picks up, but resumptions to production will only come when market conditions allow."