PSA Slovakia reopens after 2-week Covid closure

The automobile factory PSA Slovakia in Trnava is renewing production today after a two-week interruption due to an outbreak of coronavirus. The factory shutdown from March 19 to May 12 due to the original crisis and the government's declaration of a state of emergency. But production had gotten back to full speed by June 6 and the factory total output exceeded 3.5 million during that month. In all, the company is 72,000 cars short of its expected output this year because of virus-related complications. The company is currently producing the new generation of Peugeot 208s and the electric version of the car, the e-208. In 2019, the factory turned out 371,152 vehicles. Its director Stephan Bonhommeau said that competition within the PSA group to win the rights to produce new models is high. He said the biggest problem of the factory in Trnava are high production costs for labor and for energy.