Hurricane Ian Drives Closure Of Volvo, Mercedes Crops In South Carolina

As Hurricane Ian continues to wreak havoc within the US, corporations are already using measures to melt the storm’s blow into their companies. Mercedes-Benz and Volvo are among the many ones that introduced a transfer to brace for influence, halting operations of their manufacturing vegetation in South Carolina.

As reported by Automotive Information, Mercedes-Benz publicizes the closure of its plant on Friday. The meeting plant, positioned in Charleston, employs 1,600 staff, producing Mercedes Sprinter and Metris vans for North America. The following totally electrical Mercedes eSprinter is predicted to be constructed at this plant within the second half of 2023.

In the meantime, Volvo’s plant in Ridgeville has additionally paused its operations beginning at 11:00 a.m. EDT Thursday and can stay inoperational by way of Friday. The plant has 1,500 individuals in its make use of and is constructing the Volvo S60. The Swedish automaker has invested $118 million on this plant to make totally electrical automobiles for the US market.

“Hurricane Ian has the potential to influence our U.S. operations,” Volvo stated in an announcement. “The security of our staff and their households is our highest precedence. Subsequently, our Ridgeville plant halted operations at 11 a.m. and can stay closed by way of Friday.”

Hurricane Ian first made landfall in Florida on Wednesday as a Class 4 hurricane. It weakened to a tropical storm because it moved over central Florida earlier within the day. Nonetheless, it regained Class 1 energy this Thursday night, with winds at 75 miles per hour. The hurricane is now headed to South Carolina and is predicted to make landfall once more on Friday.

In line with the climate service, important flooding is predicted in coastal northeast Florida, southeastern Georgia, and jap South Carolina. There’s additionally an opportunity of “a twister or two” occurring in coastal elements of the Carolinas on Friday.