ZF is gradually restarting production in Europe and the Americas as it looks to align with customer ramp-up.
The development comes as ZF says China has reached around 90% capacity as the country appears to have largely contained the coronavirus.
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In the UK the supplier's Peterlee site recently started reduced manufacture, along with its electronics plant in Birmingham. Chassis division plants are gradually slated to start work again this month.
"Since the protection of employees is a top priority for ZF, the company established a specific 'restart production task-force," a ZF International Communications spokesman told just-auto.
"This team, together with other regional task-forces, has put extensive measures in place for the ongoing handling of the situation and have created significant global processes and assets to enable a ramp-up in production, in line with our customers. There are standard tools which can be modified for each region/country to allow for differences in governmental advice and restrictions.
"A comprehensive 'Return to Work' pack has been developed for staff, explaining the measures put in place for everyone's safety."
ZF has established a restart production task-force, which along with other similar bodies, has put measures in place to handle the situation.
For all sites, not just production, check-lists with supporting risk assessments have been created.
Measures include ensuring hygiene and adequate distance in workplaces, using shift concepts, installation of partition walls, one-way systems, cleaning and disinfection. Equally, the supplier is maintaining recommended distancing wherever possible and where it is not, provision of PPE in whichever form is necessary, as well as instructions on hygiene and use of digital tools for meetings.
All face-to-face meetings and town halls are suspended. Flexible working (Office 3.0 based) is on hold, with workplaces allocated to those who need to be in the office or factory floor, with sanitisation regulations and schedules in place.
