Volvo is restarting production at its Torslanda plant in Sweden from today (20 April) as well as reopening its Swedish offices after setting new protocols in place.

Production will restart today in Torslanda, Sweden

The plant – along with the carmaker’s facility in South Carolina – was closed on 26 March, although the Swedish government has on the whole avoided the more radical lockdown measures generally seen in the EU.

It’s also reopening its Ghent, Belgium facility from today but, as with Torslanda, volumes will be reduced, both in response to ongoing disruptions in the supply chain and reduced demand.

“We have a responsibility towards our employees and our suppliers to restart operations now that the situation allows it,” said Håkan Samuelsson, chief executive. “The best thing we can do to help society is to find ways to restart the company in a safe way, thereby safeguarding people’s health and their jobs.”

Alongside increased sanitation and cleaning routines, Volvo has installed temperature and pulse oximeter checks at main entrances – although these will be voluntary – and introduced social distancing measures.

The protocols are more relaxed than the 100-point plan introduced by Volkswagen, which has restarted production today for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand in Zwickau and Bratislava, with other Volkswagen brand plants in Germany, Portugal, Spain, Russia, and the USA to follow in a week’s time.

Volvo currently plans to reopen its South Carolina plant in the United States on Monday 11 May.

The engine plant in Skövde, Sweden and the body component manufacturing site in Olofström, Sweden will continue to plan their production on a weekly basis and adapt according to needs in the other plants.