Work continues at Mercedes-Benz’s Vance manufacturing plant in Tuscaloosa County.
However, a report said the plant is being affected by shutdowns in Europe related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier today, Honda announced a plant shutdown related to the virus for all of its North American facilities, including its Lincoln plant. Hyundai also stopped production in Montgomery after one of its employees tested positive for the virus.
Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler said the Tuscaloosa plant “is currently running.”
“We are closely monitoring the situation and tracking our suppliers and parts situation continuously,” the company announced through a spokesperson. “The supply chain is currently secured and we are monitoring it on a day-by-day basis. We are in a constant dialogue with governmental institutions and authorities. We will decide together with the authorities about the next steps.”
Bloomberg reported that Daimler ceased overtime at one part of the Tuscaloosa assembly plant and moved to a six-hour shift at another. This came after Daimler announced Tuesday it would stop most of its production in Europe for at least two weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic there.
Mercedes employs about 3,800 people at the plant.
“Our employees’ health and safety has top priority at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International,” the Daimler statement continued. “We have taken additional protective measures in regards to COVID-19 for our team members. We have minimized group meetings, suspended all business travel and increased measures to reduce exposure for our team members through intensive cleaning measures and adjustments in the use of our cafeterias as well as shifts’ separation.”