Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is taking new measures in its facilities in Italy as a response to the coronavirus outbreak, the biggest one yet outside of China.
Part of the car maker’s active support of the Italian government’s directives is focusing on actions to minimize the risk of spreading the virus between its employees. All work and rest areas will be intensively sanitized, as well as changing rooms and washrooms while daily production rates will be lowered to enable greater spacing of employees.
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The Italian government has issued a national quarantine, restricting the movement and activities of the country’s entire population of 60 million, in a bid to contain the outbreak, as more than 10,000 people have been confirmed to have the coronavirus, and 631 deaths so far.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will continue its normal activities in compliance with the government directives and regulations, with the company gradually introducing a working-from-home scheme for more office-based employees in addition to the measures announced for its production facilities.
Italian tyremaker Pirelli has also cut production at its production facility in northern Italy, after an employee was found positive on the virus. Other European car manufacturers taking measures against the virus outbreak include UK’s Jaguar Land Rover, France’s PSA and Spain’s SEAT.
SEAT announced that they are canceling a production shift at their Barcelona factory, after discovering that the coronavirus epidemic has hit their supply chain. VW is also considering temporary layoffs in Spain in case of disruptions to their supply chain.
