Spain’s SEAT Testing All Employees For Coronavirus As Production Resumes April 27

SEAT is the first company in Spain to test its entire workforce for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The VW-owned carmaker has announced it will carry out PCR tests on its 15,000 employees to avoid COVID-19 infections. According to SEAT, PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) diagnostic tests are the most reliable to identify whether the person screened has contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Testing will be carried out for production employees at SEAT Martorell, SEAT Barcelona, SEAT Componentes and CROS (SEAT Spare Parts Center), as well as for the rest of professionals in the company. The tests will then be extended to other Volkswagen Group companies in Spain.

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The Spanish automaker has already started testing this morning in three treatment units in the CARS healthcare center (Martorell), SEAT Barcelona and SEAT Componentes facilities. The tests will be analyzed without affecting public health activities by a laboratory accredited by the Ministry of Health and the Catalan Government.

“Testing all employees is the best way to minimize the spread of the virus. Furthermore, from an epidemiological point of view, it is a great opportunity to enrich the scientific knowledge we have of COVID-19, as the SEAT workforce is a large, representative sample of society,” said Dr. Bonaventura Clotet, director of IrsiCaixa and member of SEAT’s Scientific Committee.

The company plans to perform more than 3,000 tests per week, which will allow it to gradually restart production at its Martorell, Barcelona and Componentes plants from April 27. During the weeks of April 27 and May 4, one production shift will be working on each of the three lines at SEAT Martorell, at approximately one third of capacity. The lines manufacture the SEAT Ibiza, SEAT Arona, SEAT Leon and Audi A1.

Overall, the company will build around 325 cars a day in the first two weeks. As of May 11th, two production shifts will be working on each of the lines, also at a third of their usual volume. This will enable to manufacture around 650 cars a day. The pre-crisis production rate is expected to be reached from June on, based on the evolution of COVID-19 and its effects on commercial activity.

The production lines will be adapted to ensure that all employees can maintain the prescribed two-meter safety distance. If the characteristics of the workplace do not allow it, SEAT says additional measures to ensure personal health and safety will be provided. Additionally, all workers will receive surgical masks and have sanitizing gel at their disposal. Finally, facilities will be thoroughly cleaned before and after each production shift.