BMW confirmed on Thursday that there are 14 active cases of Covid-19 at its plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. This is the second plant to be confirmed with the new virus, after a similar scenario unfolded in Germany earlier this year, prompting the shutdown of the location. It looks as if the cases are not related to each other and, according to the company, every associate affected is currently in quarantine.
“The health and safety of all persons working at BMW Manufacturing has always been our top priority,” said BMW in a statement. “Since restarting production on May 4, numerous safety procedures have been implemented according to the recommendations of state and local governments and health authorities. The company also adheres to strict case management and quarantine guidelines to protect the entire workforce and help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
The Spartanburg plant is currently being disinfected. BMW says all affected areas of the plant are now being cleaned and better safety precautions are put in place. The production schedule has not been affected by these cases, according to BMW, and the company reiterated that all the CDC-recommended procedures are being followed and have been since May 4, when workers returned to the site.
There are about 11,000 people working on the 7-million square-foot facility BMW has in Spartanburg for a total production of over 450,000 units per year. The BMW Plant in South Carolina is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Hopefully, these 14 cases will remain isolated as the industry is trying to get back to pre-pandemic levels.
With demand rising in certain countries, the Spartanburg plant needs to be operational as it is the one place where all SUVs based on the CLAR platform are made.
[Source: Greenville Online]
