Michelin Suspends Production in European factories with spread of COVID-19

Group Michelin has announced plans to close its production facilities for a period of at least one week. This decision would have an impact on tire manufacturing facilities which are located in the European countries which are most affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Michelin had released a statement regarding this decision on March 18. It was not clear from the statement that Michelin issued as to when the plants would be closed and which of the factories would be closed. All that was said in the release was that the French tire manufacturer is “taking all the measures required to safeguard the health of its employees, in close cooperation with local authorities in every host country.”

Michelin has a manufacturing footprint that comprises 25 tire factories spread across nine European countries. These plants provide jobs to about 29,000 hourly workers. In Italy, one of the countries that is most affected by COVID-19, Michelin has two plants with nearly 3,000 workers.

Michelin is not the only tire manufacturer to make such a decision. Goodyear had previously announced that it would close its tire production facilities in  Europe and would slowly phase out production at its plants in North America and South America.