Nissan and Toyota have both announced their Mexican plants are reopening after being closed for two months.
Toyota’s facilities in the states of Baja California and Guanajuato will reopen gradually after the COVID-19 pandemic forced their closures, the company said in a statement, adding that safety and sanitary protocols, are involved. The company will also train workers and conduct production tests to help them acclimate to the new standards.
Nissan will reopen its vehicle and auto parts manufacturing facilities in the country individually, but did not provide dates.
Car sales in Mexico dropped by 64.5pc to 34,903 units in April 2020 from 98,346 units during the same month a year earlier because the COVID-19 pandemic more than halved demand, said the National Statistics Agency, adding that this year’s sales volume is the lowest in 25 years.
Nissan’s car sales plummeted by 62.1pc to 6,919 units in April from 18,275 units a year earlier, while Toyota’s auto sales decreased by 53.3pc to 3,386 units in April from 7,245 units a year earlier, according to figures from Mexico’s automotive association.
Mexico’s automotive, mining and construction industries have permission to restart production before June 1, provided they comply with health and safety protocols.