The Auto Industry is Off to a Great Start as Plants Reopen Amidst COVID-19

After being shut down for over two months (some for even longer), the auto industry has slowly started back up again. For instance, General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler all reopened their assembly plants in late May, with social distancing measures and personal protective equipment requirements in place. While the return to normal for the auto industry will surely be a slow one,

Marc Zaransky, an auto leasing consultant from Northbrook, Illinois, claims that the industry is off to a great start, with proper measures and adequate testing in place.

COVID-19 Measures in Place

Marc Zaransky states that like all industries slowly reopening amidst COVID-19, the auto industry is taking care to ensure that the virus does not spread in its plants. This means increased sanitation measures, social distancing where possible, and mandatory personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, eye protection) for all workers.

In addition, automakers have decided to slow down the rate in which they produce cars, shorten employee shifts to allow ample time for cleaning between shifts, and stagger the arrivals and departures of employees to decrease contact with others. Ford specifically has also set up portable sinks and hand sanitizer dispensers in various spots throughout the plant. In restrooms, no-touch faucets and soap dispensers have also become the norm. All of these changes have been made in order to reduce the risk of infection as much as possible and they will likely be in place for some time. It is clear the auto industry is taking the virus seriously.

COVID-19 Testing

Beyond introducing new protocols within the various plants, the auto industry is also taking the testing of their employees seriously, shares Marc Zaransky. Certain auto companies, such as Ford, GM, and Fiat Chrysler, are also asking employees to fill out a questionnaire and have their temperature taken before coming into work. Fiat Chrysler has even installed thermal imaging cameras in some hallways and entrances to check for fevers among their employees. On the assembly lines, typically a place where workers are in close contact for hours on end, many automobile plants have hung up transparent curtains in an effort to prevent transmission between workers who normally stand side by side.

Further, thanks to guidelines worked out by the United Automobile Workers union, employees are required to be tested for the virus if they begin to show any symptoms whatsoever. That said, it is up to each auto company to decide if they wish to proactively test workers on a daily or weekly basis and so far many are not. However, many of the biggest auto companies in the country, like Ford, have begun securing contracts with health care providers in the cities where their plants are located. The United Automobile Workers union is advocating for testing as much as possible and so far many plants are complying. Testing really is the best way to ensure that if an auto employee does contract the virus, that it is caught early and spread to the least amount of people possible.

Final Thoughts from Marc Zaransky

While the auto industry appears to have introduced measures to reopen and operate safely, it remains to be seen how the industry as a whole will rebound during the unprecedented recession. With millions of Americans still out of work and recent spikes in coronavirus cases in several states, the battle to get the economy back on track is not over.

Many financial experts share mixed reports, with some saying the economy will rebound by the end of 2020 and some saying it could take until the end of 2021. With so much uncertainty, there is room for interpretation and all we can do is hope for the best.