SHANGHAI -- Volkswagen on Thursday said it would halt work at its factory in Shanghai between April 1-5, reversing an earlier plan to maintain some of its production, as the city extends a lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
VW, which has a Shanghai joint venture with SAIC Motor, said it would carry out maintenance work in the factory.
VW earlier in the day said it would maintain some production over the period by providing accommodations and meals at its factory for employees volunteering to work.
Its Shanghai factory is in Anting district in the west of the city, which is scheduled to start a lockdown on Friday that will last until the early hours of April 5.
VW had asked staff at its Shanghai plant to prepare sleeping bags and yoga mats so the company could deploy a system that allows production to continue despite a strict COVID-19 lockdown, sources told Bloomberg on Wednesday.
The arrangement would haved enable the plant to run a so-called closed loop system while the west of the city is locked down for a mass testing blitz.
Workers were informed about the plan in a company message, according to the sources. They were also asked to bring two weeks’ worth of medicine for ailments such as colds and conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, if required.