Four more Brazilian automakers have suspended their output to protect their employees from rising COVID-19 cases in Brazil.
Toyota, Nissan, Renault, and Daimler—under its Mercedes-Benz brand, have announced a temporary suspension of activities in the South American country.
Toyota halted production from Mar 29 to Apr 5, in its São Bernardo do Campo, Sorocaba, Porto Feliz plants, and the Indaiatuba division will suspend operations from Mar 29 to Apr 6, the company said in a statement.
Nissan Brazil will suspend operations at its Resende, Rio de Janeiro plant, from Mar 26 to Apr 9, it plans to resume production on April 12.
Daimler, under its Mercedes-Benz brand, will halt production from Mar 26 to Apr 6 at its plants São Bernardo do Campo, in São Paulo, and Juiz de Fora, in the state of Minas Gerais, while Renault Brazil will halt production from Mar 29 to Apr 5 at its car plant São José dos Pinhais.
Volkswagen Brazil halted production from Mar 24 to Apr 4 at its plants in São Bernardo do Campo, Taubaté, São Carlos and São José dos Pinhais.
Last week, the Brazilian steel association (Iabr) said that there was no shortage of steel products nor a steel price hike in the South American country, which could be affecting the automotive and construction industry. However, the Brazilian Chamber of Civil Construction (Cbic) said last week that at least 84pc of 206 construction companies are facing a shortage of steel products to develop their projects across the country.
Brazil’s crude steel output rose by 3.8pc to 2.8mn mt in February, from 2.7mn mt produced in February 2020, according to figures from Iabr. Brazilian flat steel distributors’ sales rose by 9.8pc to 312,300mt in February, from 284,600mt in the same month the prior year, Brazil’s National Institute of Steel Distributors (Inda) said.