Ferrari has announced that it intends to restart production at its Italian facilities in Maranello and Modena in two weeks’ time, despite the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country.
The Italian marque was one of the first major manufacturers in Europe to close its two plants on 14th March, citing supply issues caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. At the time, the company said it intended to reopen on 27th March, though that date has now been pushed back to 14th April.
Although confident production will begin in mid-April, Ferrari admitted the schedule is subject to its suppliers. What’s more, the pandemic has ripped through Italy at an alarming rate, with the country reporting over 80,000 cases and, tragically, more than 8,000 deaths. China, where the virus originated, has recorded a similar number cases yet less than half the number of deaths. It therefore remains to be seen whether Ferrari – or Italy – will be ready come 14th April.
On a more positive note, Ferrari has been using the downtime to support Italy’s heath service. The company has been supplying parts to the Bologna-based Siare Engineering firm to help produce ventilators, an electronic breathing aid, for coronavirus patients.
Keyword: Ferrari to restart production in April despite rising COVID-19 cases in Italy