Economy 17 March 2020, 2:30pm

Suzuki Hungary adopts restrictive measures due to coronavirus

Portfolio

The spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is prompting not only countries but an increasing number of corporations as well to take actions of containment. The Hungarian operation of Japanese carmaker Suzuki, for instance, scrapped the afternoon shift and interns were sent home.

As the coronavirus is sweeping across the globe, governments are putting drastic measures into effect to fight the spread of the virus that (officially) infected nearly 190,000 people and killed about 7,500. On Tuesday, the Audi plant in Győr, northwest Hungary, announced that production will be gradually phased out by Friday and it will be suspended for an unspecified period from Monday.

The current epidemiological situation and both the Hungarian and global government decisions created a new situation for the local operation of Japanese carmaker Suzuki, as well.

An Operational Corps was set up and it is working around the clock to adopt every measure - depending on the current conditions - for the protection of our employees' health and to minimise economic losses

, Magyar Suzuki Zrt. communications director Zsuzsanna Bonnár-Csonka told Portfolio. She added that as of Monday, the company is implementing the following measures:

Magyar Suzuki Zrt. will not launch commuter coaches from Slovakia.
Production will go on only in the morning shift, the afternoon shift will be put on hold.
No commuter coaches will be operated from Budapest. Only those Budapest residents may continue to work at the Esztergom-based plant that drive there in their own car as usual.
Interns' jobs will be suspended until further notice.
Employees of over 60 years of age may not go to work.
If a position allows it, working from home is mandatory.

Bonnár-Csonka said they have introduced various security measures weeks ago, e.g. foreign business trips and meetings with foreign partners had been cancelled as of March.

Foreign business partners may not enter the premises and domestic ones may visit only if they have not been abroad in the last two weeks, she added. They are required to make a declaration attesting this. The company is also trying to reduce the number of personal meetings with business partners to a minimum. Hand sanitizing has already been available on the premises, but they have also set up new anti-bacterial hand sanitizing facilites.

Portfolio also inquired at drugs producer Egis Gyógyszergyár Zrt., which replied they are adhering to current standards, health regulations and recommendations. Working from home has already been an option in various positions already and now the group of associates asked to resort to this method has been expanded.

The coronavirus pandemic currently does not cause any disruption that we could not resolve or bridge by changing the organisation of work

, said Egis.