Volkswagen Resumes Production at Iconic Wolfsburg Plant
Here’s some comforting news for Volkswagen fans and future customers: the German automaker resumed production at its iconic Wolfsburg plant on Monday.
Next-generation Golf models were the first to roll down the assembly line. Tiguan SUVs and other vehicles will be added to the mix on Wednesday.
- Also: Social Distancing: Volkswagen and Audi Lead by Example
- Also: It's Now Volkswagen's Turn to Close Most European Plants
However, you should know that the plant operates at just 10-15 percent of its total capacity on a one-shift basis. Some 1,400 units are expected to have been built by the end of the first week.
Next week, production will be ramped up to more than 6,000 vehicles as multi-shift operation recommences. That represents approximately 40 percent of production prior to the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Step-by-step resumption of production is an important signal for the workforce, dealerships, suppliers and the wider economy. In terms of managing the crisis, though, this is just the first step. Additional momentum is needed to stimulate demand in Germany and throughout Europe so that production volumes can be successively increased,” said Ralf Brandstätter, COO of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand.
In Germany, around 70 percent of car dealerships have already reopened for business, but many remain closed.
Volkswagen’s Zwickau (Germany) and Bratislava (Slovakia) assembly plants resumed production last week.
After receiving a special training, VW employees will be subject to over 100 new health protection measures such as measuring their temperature and assessing their health status each morning before they leave for work, observing walkway diversions set up to avoid contacts and wearing mouth and nose protection in areas where minimum distances of 1.5 meters are not possible.
Additionally, mobile Plexiglass partitions have been installed in many areas. Material will no longer be transferred from employee to employee, but rather placed in containers. Also, teams will be given more time to clean their tools and machines.
Volkswagen says it has shared this 100-point plan with its more than 40,000 suppliers and logistics partners throughout the world.
