Two Aiken manufacturing plants shut down for two weeks in response to coronavirus
Two manufacturing plants in Aiken County operated by Bridgestone are shutting down for more than two weeks as the company reacts to the growing spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.
Bridgestone Americas announced in a statement Thursday that it is shutting down its manufacturing facilities across North and Latin America. That includes a pair of tire plants in Aiken County — one in Trenton that manufactures off-the-road radial tires and one in Graniteville that produces passenger/light truck tires.
According to the company’s fact sheets, there are approximately 2,200 employees at the plants combined.
Bridgestone subsidiary Firestone also operates a manufacturing facility in Wellford.
“Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) has announced a temporary phased shutdown of its manufacturing facilities in North America and Latin America. The temporary shutdown will begin the weekend of March 21 with all facilities planning to resume normal operations on or before Sunday, April 12. The company will continue to monitor the situation closely and adjust response plans and activities as necessary,” the statement read.
According to a Bridgestone spokesperson, the Aiken plants will shut down March 21 and are scheduled to resume production on April 6.
“The company has sufficient supply of product to meet customer demand and its distribution centers, plant warehouses and logistics teams will continue to fill orders, but is executing this temporary shutdown to align supply to the predicted demand in the market.”
Bridgestone is one of the first major manufacturers in the state to halt production because of the pandemic, as the number of cases in the U.S. crossed 10,000 on Thursday.
BMW, which has a plant in Spartanburg, issued a statement Wednesday saying it would remain open for the time being while calling the situation “dynamic” and pledging to “adjust quickly based on the daily analysis of the current environment.”
“In parallel, we have implemented numerous measures to protect the health and safety of our employees,” the statement concluded, according to FOX Carolina.
A spokesperson for Boeing, which has a facility in North Charleston, told The State that it is “assessing the safety of all of our sites and their alignment with local, state and national government guidance as we continuously monitor this evolving situation.”
All employees who can work from home have been instructed to do so until further notice, the spokesperson added.
Volvo’s car factory in Ridgeville remains open, a company spokesperson confirmed to The State, as does the Continental Tire plant in Sumter, a spokesperson said.
Michelin, which operates numerous plants in South Carolina and employs more than 9,000 people in the state, told The State that it has decided not to close its plants at this time based off “internal assessments and current guidance from state and local governments.”
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 4:41 PM.
