As the coronavirus crisis continues to disrupt the global economy, North American vehicle sales have dropped sharply, and production has come to a nearly complete stop. Given the complexity of automotive manufacturing, the tremendous capital required to restart production, and the industry’s deep global supply chains, resuming vehicle production in North America will be a complex undertaking that is likely to take place in stages. CAR researchers are tracking automaker announcements for the restart of production at the companies’ North American plants.
Restarting the automotive industry is more than just the issue of resuming production at each company’s plant, however. Automakers and suppliers need to address:
- How does the automotive industry adjust its traditional business practices post-crisis?
- How do companies manage and monitor workers’ health conditions?
- Are changes needed to current inventory management?
- How do companies evaluate and respond to supply chain risks and disruptions?
- Does this crisis push the need for companies to reset the production process?
- How do companies prepare to avoid another crisis impact on their business?
CAR addressed many of these issues in our recent Restart Playbook Webinar, which featured a conversation with Magna Executive Vice President and President Magna Asia, Jim Tobin, and Magna Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Aaron McCarthy.
The following map series depicts automaker announced restart dates for each company’s assembly plants as of 17 April 2020. CAR researchers will continue to monitor automaker restart announcements throughout the production ramp-up and will update these maps regularly.
Week 1: 26 April – 2 May
Figure 1: Automaker North American Assembly Plant Restarts, Week of 26 April – 2 May 2020
Source: Media announcements through 17 April 2020
BMW, Daimler, FCA, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Renault-Nissan, and Volkswagen announced restart dates for seventeen assembly plants during the week of 26 April 2020. The assembly operations scheduled to begin production during this week are BMW’s San Luis Potosi, Mexico and Spartanburg, South Carolina plants; Daimler’s Vance, Alabama and Charleston, South Carolina plants; FCA’s Saltillo, Mexico truck plant; Honda’s Alliston, Ontario, Celaya and El Salto Mexico, Lincoln, Alabama, Greensburg, Indiana, East Liberty and Marysville, Ohio, plants; Hyundai-Kia’s West Point, Georgia plant; Renault-Nissan’s Aguascalientes and Cuernavaca, Mexico plants; and Volkswagen’s Puebla and San Jose Chiapa, Mexico plants.
Table 1: Automaker North American Assembly Plant Restart Weekly Production Volumes for Restarts During the Week of 26 April 26 – 2 May 2020
Week 2: 3-9 May
Figure 2: Automaker North American Assembly Plant Restarts, Week of 3-9 May 2020
Source: Media announcements through 17 April 2020
FCA, Hyundai-Kia, and Toyota announced restart dates for fifteen assembly plants during the week of 3 May 2020. The assembly operations scheduled to begin production during this week are FCA’s Toluca, Mexico, Belvidere, Illinois, Detroit, Sterling Heights, and Warren Michigan, and Toledo, Ohio plants; Hyundai-Kia’s Montgomery, Alabama plant; and Toyota’s Cambridge and Woodstock, Ontario, Celaya and Tijuana, Mexico, Princeton, Indiana, Georgetown, Kentucky, Tupelo, Mississippi, and San Antonio, Texas plants.
Table 2: Automaker North American Assembly Plant Restart Weekly Production Volumes for Restarts During the Week of 3-9 May 2020
[1] FCA’s Warren Truck plant was scheduled to close by the end of April to retool for the next generation Jeep Wagoneer.
Week 3: 10-16 May
Figure 3: Automaker North American Assembly Plant Restart Dates, Week of 3-9 May 2020
Source: Media announcements through 17 April 2020
Subaru and Volvo announced plans to restart production at two of their assembly plants during the week of 10 May 2020. Subaru’s Lafayette (#1 and #2) Assembly Plant in Lafayette, Indiana, is scheduled to begin production on 11 May at an estimated weekly production capacity of 10,017. Volvo also announced that its Ridgeville Assembly Plant, located in Ridgeville, South Carolina, will begin production during this week at a weekly production capacity of 902 units.
Week 4: 17-23 May
Figure 4: Automaker North American Assembly Plant Restarts, Week of 17-23 May 2020
Source: Media announcements through 17 April 2020
FCA and Renault-Nissan announced restart dates for four assembly plants during the week of 17 May 2020. The assembly operations scheduled to begin production during this week are FCA’s Brampton and Windsor, Ontario plants and Renault-Nissan’s Canton, Mississippi, and Smyrna, Tennessee plants.
Table 3: Automaker N.A. Assembly Plant Restart Dates and Weekly Production Volumes, Week of May 3-9
CAR researchers are continuously monitoring automaker and supplier announcements regarding restarting North American production and the steps necessary to enable this undertaking. Because the announcements are updated and changed regularly, CAR will continue to provide updates on the CAR website as the situation unfolds.
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