Audi, Mercedes restart vehicle production in Hungary

Source: Xinhua | 2020-04-29

German carmakers Audi and Mercedes both resumed production at their plants in Hungary after halting work in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, the official news agency MTI reported here on Tuesday.

"Audi has restarted vehicle production in a single shift at its base in Gyor (northwest Hungary), with some 2,000 people taking up work," MTI said.

Audi restarted its engine plant in Gyor two weeks earlier. Including those employees, some 5,000 of Audi's total Hungarian workforce of 12,800 are back on the job.

Audi Hungaria shut down its plant on March 23 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The same day, Mercedes reopened its production plant in Hungary, also in a single shift.

"More than 120 measures have been taken at the plant to ensure compliance with social distancing rules," the company said in a statement. "Workers are required to wear masks or face shields, work areas are being disinfected regularly and break areas have been reorganized."

Production at the plant in Kecskemet in central Hungary was suspended on March 20.