Renault halt production at Morocco plants

Renault Group is shutting down more factories in response to the coronavirus outbreak, adding its assembly plants in Morocco and a powertrain facility in Portugal.

Industrial activities will be halted temporarily in Morocco, where Renault has two assembly plants with a capacity of 400,000 vehicles annually, because of the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. Morocco has 44 reported cases of the virus, with two deaths.

One factory, in Tangier, produces Dacia models, including the Lodgy, Sandero, Sandero Stepway, Dokker and Logan MCV, and has a capacity of about 320,000 vehicles. The other plant, in Casablanca, makes the Dacia Logan, Sandero and Sandero Stepway.

Most of the production at the two factories is exported to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Outside of Europe and some North African markets, the vehicles are branded as Renaults instead of Dacias.

Renault said about 11,000 employees would be affected by the shutdown in Morocco. Separately, Renault said it was closing its engine and transmission plant in Cacia, Portugal, as of Wednesday morning. The factory has about 1,000 workers and exports to 12 countries on four continents, Renault said.

Renault has closed nearly all its assembly plants that serve Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. As of Wednesday morning, factories in Turkey and Romania continued to operate.

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