INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Panasonic is pulling its 3,500 employees from the massive Nevada factory it operates with partner Tesla over concerns about the spread of
COVID-19.
The company said Friday it will ramp down operations early next week and then close for 14 days
The move only affects Panasonic employees
Tesla also employs thousands of workers at the so-called Gigafactory 1 in Sparks, Nevada.
Tesla could not be reached for
comment.
Gigafactory 1, which broke ground in June 2014, is a critical ingredient in Tesla goal to accelerate the world transition to
sustainable energy by expanding global battery capacity and reducing the cost of electric vehicles
And Panasonic has been its most important partner as a supplier and partner in that project.
The factory produces Model 3 electric motors
and battery packs, in addition to Tesla energy storage products, Powerwall and Powerpack
Panasonic makes the cells, which Tesla then uses to make battery packs for its electric vehicles.
Here is the statement from Panasonic
spokesperson AlbertoCanal
Panasonic is committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of every employee
The Panasonic factory in Sparks, Nevada will begin ramping down operations early next week and will then close for 14 days
Employees impacted by the closure will receive full pay and benefits for the 14-day period
In the meantime, Panasonic has enacted several measures to enhance the cleanliness of the facility, encourage social distancing, and enable
simple, safe and effective behaviors
During the 14-day period, the facility will undergo intensive cleaning.
Without Panasonic, Tesla could face a bottleneck in the supply chain
Tesla has agreed to suspend production beginning March 23 at its Fremont, Calif., factory, where it assembles the Model X, Model S, Model 3
