North American Truckmakers Suspend Production

[kscarbel2]

Volvo Group suspends Volvo and Mack production

Jason Cannon, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ)  /  March 20, 2020

Volvo Trucks North America and subsidiary Mack Trucks confirmed Friday morning that they will be the latest to join a growing list of truck and auto manufacturers to shutter assembly operations due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Mary Beth Halprin, Volvo Group vice president of public relations and corporate affairs, told CCJ Friday that, while the company has no reason to believe there are any cases of COVID-19 in any of the Mack, Volvo Trucks or Volvo Group powertrain manufacturing facilities in Macungie, Pennsylvania, Dublin, Virginia or Hagerstown, Maryland, “we have decided to temporarily suspend production as part of the effort to slow the spread of the virus in our communities.”

Effective Thursday, March 19, Mack and Volvo Trucks suspended production through Friday, March 27. Moving forward, Halprin said the company would monitor the outbreak and communicate additional decisions to employees on a regular basis.

“During this suspension,” Halprin said, “we will be exploring new ways of working and possible approaches to production that would allow for increased social distancing in the facility. The health and safety of our employees and communities will be our primary concern as we work to make the most informed decisions we can during this uncertain time.”

Kenworth Friday refused to comment on its production plans. CCJ has also reached out to Freightliner, Navistar and Peterbilt for comment but has yet to receive a response.

General Motors, Fiat Chrysler and Ford have already announced the suspension of manufacturing at their sites.

[Bullheaded]

The big steel mill here that is a BIG supplier to GMC posted today that they will not pay any sick leave to any employees and the steel workers union had no comment.

Wonder how that is going to go over when even the government is trying to lock everyone up?

[kscarbel2]

Navistar suspending truck production, DTNA ‘in task force mode’

Jason Cannon, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ)  /  March 23, 2020

Navistar International Corp. announced Monday it was suspending production at its truck assembly plant in Springfield, Ohio, for at least two weeks in response to supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Navistar joins Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks North America who each Friday morning announced they were shutting down facilities in Macungie, Pennsylvania, Dublin, Virginia or Hagerstown, Maryland through this Friday.

Daimler Trucks North America, in a letter widely distributed Friday, said all its manufacturing facilities in North America “are in task force mode to maintain the continuity of our operations. The supply chain continues to be relatively stable, allowing us to continue to deliver trucks on time. So far this month, our on time-delivery rate continues to be at a very high level. The environment is changing rapidly and we are adapting every day,” the company wrote.

A DTNA employee tested positive for COVID-19 last week at its Detroit Powertrain campus in Michigan, but after closing to clean and disinfect the company expects to be back up and running today.

The Department of Homeland Security has designated transportation equipment manufacturing part of the nation’s Critical Manufacturing Sector, “therefore, we have a duty and an obligation to support you at this crucial time,” DTNA wrote in its letter sent to customers, “while still protecting the health and safety of our collective workforce and acting in accordance with the law.”

Kenworth Friday declined to comment on its production plans and Peterbilt has yet to respond to an inquiry seeking comment.