Volvo Cars Shuts Plant With Hurricane Florence Forcing Evacuations
Volvo Car Group will temporarily idle its new car factory in South Carolina after Hurricane Florence spurred orders to evacuate areas in the path of the Category 4 storm.
鈥淲e have decided to shut down our plant tomorrow in light of the evacuation order that鈥檚 now in place for Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties,鈥 Volvo spokeswoman Stephanie Mangini said in an e-mail. The factory is Chinese-owned Volvo鈥檚 first in the United States听and recently began cranking out S60 mid-size sedans.
Hurricane Florence鈥檚 top winds hit 130 mph Sept. 10 to become a storm one step below the most severe level. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster ordered evacuations of the state鈥檚 entire coastline, including the area around Volvo鈥檚 factory. The storm is destined for landfall late Sept. 13 or early Sept. 14 between Charleston, S.C., and Norfolk, Va.
9/11 11:00 AM EDT: Here are the Key Messages for . Full advisory:
鈥 National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic)
The Carolinas are home to BMW AG鈥檚 biggest assembly plant in the world, as well as factories where Daimler AG units build Mercedes-Benz vans, Freightliner trucks and Thomas Built buses. Representatives for the German manufacturers said they are monitoring the situation.
The two states also are a major hub for tire making. Michelin, which has 14 factories and three retreading facilities in the Carolinas, is watching forecasts closely, spokesman Eric Bruner said. A spokeswoman for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. didn鈥檛 immediately comment.
Volvo, the Swedish carmaker owned by China鈥檚 Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., opened its first North American assembly plant earlier this year just north of Charleston. CEO Hakan Samuelsson said earlier Sept. 10 that the company was delaying plans for a share sale as early as this fall, citing intensifying global trade tensions.
鈥 With assistance by Keith Naughton
