Volkswagen's Portugal plant reduces output by 16% due to coronavirus

Volkswagen's Autoeuropa car assembly plant near Lisbon has reduced its daily output by 16% because of a shortage of workers after Portugal ordered all schools closed amid the coronavirus outbreak, the plant said on Monday in a statement. ´

The plant, which produced 254,600 cars last year, will make 744 units per day, down from its usual output of 890, the firm said. Two shifts on Monday were cancelled because of a lack of workers.

The company also cancelled visits to the plant and restricted meetings with external actors. Drivers bringing parts into the plant will have their temperatures taken at entry. Seven of Autoeuropa's 5,536 workers have been placed in isolation because of exposure to the virus, but there were no confirmed cases so far, it said.