The CEO of the BMW Group has confirmed the German company will shut the doors to Plant Rosslyn in South Africa for a month amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG, made the announcement during his address at the firm’s annual accounts press conference.

“We have made far-reaching decisions that affect our daily business. Many people are focusing on their health and well-being and what is most essential right now,” Zipse said.

“In light of this, we have already temporarily closed the first dealerships in Europe. Demand for cars, like many other goods, will decrease significantly,” he added.

Zipse revealed the company was “adjusting” its production volumes “flexibly in line with demand”.

“We began to shut down our European and Rosslyn automotive plants [on 17 March 2020], which will close by the end of the week. The interruption of production for the mentioned plants is currently planned to run until April 19,” he said.

BMW Group SA manufactures the X3 at the Rosslyn factory in Pretoria after switching from producing the 3 Series sedan in 2018.

Original article from Car