BMW Spartanburg plant to gradually reopen starting May 4

A month has passed since the shutdown of the BMW Plant in Spartanburg – due to the COVID-19 outbreak – but now the German automaker is ready to gradually reopen its production lines.

According to WYFF4, citing the company’s Plant Spartanburg Communications Manager Sky Foster, the Spartanburg-based factory will open on May 4th for A-shift only. The B-shift will start May 18, Foster said.

Furthermore, BMW says that the staggered approach will give all its suppliers time to ramp back up. During the non-production time, BMW implemented a variety of deep cleaning and safety measures.

This included disinfecting equipment in all technologies, sanitizing workstations, remodeling layouts to enhance social distancing, and completing preventive maintenance on equipment.

“BMW has taken many precautionary measures to provide a safe workplace for our associates,” said Knudt Flor, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. “We return to Plant Spartanburg focused on taking care of each other and taking care of our customers.”

Foster offered more context around the safety measures implemented to combat COVID-19:

“New guidelines and procedures have been implemented at the Spartanburg plant to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. These include temperature self-checks, modified seating for cafeteria and office areas, staggered lunch schedules and expanded cleaning practices. Face masks are required for anyone who cannot maintain the required 6-foot social distance. BMW will continue to follow these and other CDC-recommended procedures.”

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