BUCHAREST -- Dacia and Ford both resumed production in Romania on Monday after output at both automakers was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.
Domestic automaker Dacia, which is owned by France's Renault, has sent around 14,000 employees home on technical unemployment and Ford also suspended activity for its 6,000 staff at its Craiova factory.
Ford builds the EcoSport SUV in Romania, while Dacia builds the Duster, Logan and Sandero models at its plant in Pitesti, according to Automotive News Europe's Assembly Plant Map.
During the shutdown, both plants implemented safety measures aimed at curbing the risk of COVID-19 infections and to ensure their employees are protected against the new coronavirus.
Ford said it will gradually resume output in a single shift with about half of its workers.
Dacia said that "production on the Mioveni industrial platform has been resumed, with the mechanical and chassis plant working in three shifts."
The European Union member state, which has recorded 13,512 coronavirus infections and 803 deaths, declared a 30-day state of emergency on March 16 and later extended it to May 15.
