Detroit itches to restart, but suppliers struggle with liquidity issues

Ready to restartGM A "majority" of plants in the U.S. and Canada are restarting production Monday, May 18, on a single daily shift, with pickups and full-size SUVs being prioritized. Workers will follow the same health and safety protocols that have resulted in no known cases of the virus at plants making medical supplies in the U.S. or autos in other regions. High-traffic areas will be cleaned during and between shifts; most doors will be propped open to increase airflow and eliminate touch points. Ford Most plants resume limited production May 18; plants in Flat Rock, Mich., and Oakville, Ontario, restart Monday, May 25. Plants previously running 3 shifts will temporarily have 2, and most other plants will have only 1 shift. Cafeterias are closed, and time between shifts has been increased to limit employee interaction and allow for extra cleaning. FCA All North American plants are restarting May 18 except Belvidere Assembly in Illinois, which will reopen June 1. Employees will have 10 minutes per shift dedicated to cleaning and disinfecting their workstations. The company installed more than 2,000 hand sanitizer stations, redesigned or installed protective barriers on 4,700 job areas and workstations and added plexiglass partitions in break areas and cafeterias. Tesla After a dispute with county authorities, Tesla was given the green light to fully reopen its Fremont, Calif., plant. CEO Elon Musk defied authorities by restarting production last week, but no enforcement action was taken against him or the company. As the Detroit 3 return to auto production after the COVID-19 pandemic interruption, their suppliers are still grappling with myriad roadblocks.

Detroit itches to restart, but suppliers struggle with liquidity issues

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