Daimler said on Friday Mercedes-Benz car plants in Untertuerkheim, Berlin, Hamburg, Sindelfingen and Bremen had restarted production after a period of short time working or suspension due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Engine and component plants in Untertuerkheim, Hamburg and Berlin gradually restarted first, from 20 April, ready to supply the car plants in Bremen and Sindelfingen which came back on line slowly this week.
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Next Monday, 4 May, the car plant in Rastatt will also gradually restart.
Plants in Kolleda and Arnstadt (MDC Power and MDC Technology), as well as some car plants outside Germany will restart production, also step by step. Those plants are Sebes/Cugir (Romania), Kecskemet (Hungary) and Tuscaloosa (US).
Untertuerkheim is critical because it produces engines and components for vehicles built in China.
A plant in Berlin has recommenced production of Camtronic engine management units. Hamburg produces axles and axle components for production worldwide.
Plants in Kamenz, where batteries for the EQ family, drive batteries for plug-in hybrid vehicles and 48V batteries are produced, continued to operate during the suspension of production and short-time work phases on a two-shift basis with strictly segregated shifts and extensive safety measures for the employees.
Bremen is slowly ramping up GLC and EQC output and Sindelfingen builds the E-Class line.
New safety measures include hygiene and cleaning standards agreed with the works council, regulations to maintain a minimum safety distance of 1.5m and the use of face masks.
In non-production areas, short-time work in Germany started on 6 April after a two week break and continues in some areas.
Necessary basic functions as well as future planning and strategic projects are excluded.
