Fiat Chrysler Resumes Brazil Operations

(RTTNews) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. slowly started operations at its manufacturing plants in the South American country of Brazil after suspending operations for 48 days due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

FCA noted that it is resuming vehicle production in Brazil after adopting world-standard measures in sanitation, health, safety and reorganization of processes at all its plants for a safe return to operations.

FCA suspended operations at its three manufacturing plants in Brazil from March 23, when it was producing 1,600 vehicles daily at its Betim Assembly Plant and 1,000 vehicles daily at its Goiana Assembly Plant.

The automaker said in a statement that about 6,400 employees out of the approximately 10,000 employees have returned to work, with about 4,300 workers at Betim factory and 1,500 at Goiana plant. It expects to ramp up vehicle production volume through May.

The same measures were successfully implemented for the approximately 600 employees who returned to work on May 4 at the Campo Largo engine plant in Paraná, Brazil.

The automaker is using the experience it gained while resuming production in Italy and Asia to shape the new local standard. It has also initiated health monitoring with the help of a mobile application for constant temperature measurements.

The Group operates over 100 manufacturing facilities and over 40 R&D centers, selling the vehicles through dealers and distributors in more than 130 countries.

The Sevel plant in Atessa, Italy, a joint venture with PSA Group, resumed operations on April 27 after a variety of health and safety measures were implemented to enable return to work of most of the over 6,000 employees.

At the same time, limited activities also resumed at the plants in Cassino, Pomigliano, Termoli and Mirafiori in connection with components supply for the Sevel plant. It also resumed operations is in Turin and Melfi.