Carmakers Dacia and Ford resume operations at their factories in Romania after COVID-19 halt

Romanian carmaker Automobile Dacia, part of French group Renault, resumed operations at its industrial platform in Mioveni, near Pitesti, on Monday, May 4. U.S. carmaker Ford also restarted activity at its car plant in Craiova, southern Romania, on May 4.

Both producers suspended operations after the state of emergency was decreed in Romania due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in mid-March.

The two companies have used the last six weeks to implement new operational flows and safety measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections for their employees. Dacia has over 14,000 employees at Mioveni, while Ford has some 6,200 employees at Craiova.

Dacia announced that its mechanics and chassis factory, which re-opened on April 21, returned to a normal three-shift schedule starting May 4. The vehicle assembly factory will work in two shifts, and the logistics division will work in one shift, in the beginning. Starting May 11, the vehicle factory will also return to a three-shift schedule. The activity of the logistics division will be correlated to the operations of the other Renault plants worldwide.

The company has implemented safety and social distancing measures for its employees. Each employee will receive four face masks each day to use while at work and on the road to and from work. They will also have disinfectants for cleaning their hands and work stations.

Dacia has also released this video showing the safety measures implemented at the factory in Mioveni.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=101&v=ll8syqPoNns&feature=emb_title

Ford Romania also announced that about 3,000 of its employees at the Craiova car and engine plants would start work on Monday, May 4. The company said it started producing masks and face shields for its employees and that it has implemented strict safety measures.

“We want our production facilities to be prepared and our staff protected – but we are determined to ensure that this has no impact on those tackling the COVID-19 crisis from getting the equipment they need,” said Rene Wolf, director of manufacturing, Ford Europe.

Production at the Craiova plant will take place in one shift, in the beginning.

(Photo source: Ford Europe Media Center)