Volvo Cars said its Chinese business had returned to “normal”, offering a ray of hope to European and US carmakers that have shuttered operations in the face of the global coronavirus pandemic. As the Swedish group closed its US plant and became the final carmaker to cease production in Europe, chief executive Hakan Samuelsson said factories and dealerships in China were operating close to pre-shutdown levels. “All factories are back, and there are very positive signs of normalisation, all dealerships are open and showrooms are showing signs of being very close to normal,” he told the Financial Times. “We need to plan for normality after Easter, to give people a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Mr Samuelsson. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2020

Source: The Irish Times March 20, 2020 16:07 UTC