Car-making resumes
Rolls-royce Motor
Cars has resumed full production at Goodwood, operating at pre-lockdown levels.
Rolls-royce Motor Cars has resumed full two-shift production at its Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence at Goodwood, West Sussex.
The move means that the marque is now operating at pre-lockdown levels, with the workforce maintained and all manufacturing staff on site. Strict health, safety and hygiene measures remain in place, in line with the latest official guidance.
More than 2,000 skilled men and women are employed at Goodwood, the only place in the world where the company’s super-luxury motor cars are hand-built.
The resumption of the second shift comes just two weeks after the global launch of new Ghost to universal media and public acclaim (see page 22). Demand for all Rolls-royce models continues to develop across markets worldwide, particularly those where the Covid peak has passed.
When the nationwide lockdown was first introduced, Rolls-royce voluntarily suspended production to protect its employees, suppliers and their families. On May 4, it became the first UK automotive manufacturer to reopen, operating a single shift with office-based colleagues working from home wherever practicable.
Customer handover ceremonies, with appropriate social distancing, resumed in early June. Chief Executive Officer Torsten Müller-ötvös said: “Returning to full twoshift production is a major milestone and comes just four months after we became the first UK automotive company to restart manufacturing after lockdown. It reflects the long-term strength and resilience of our business and the significant worldwide demand for our products, which have been boosted further by the recent launch of our new Ghost. Throughout Rolls-royce there is a renewed sense of energy, enthusiasm and optimism. This gives me great confidence for our future; I also believe it sends enormously positive signals to our local community, our industry and the country as a whole. I wish to thank my entire team for their determination and commitment, which has enabled us to reach this point so rapidly. That we’ve done so while keeping everyone safe underlines the fact that Rollsroyce is a family, in which we all look out for one another. I’m particularly delighted that we’ve maintained our workforce. Our people and the skills and talents they bring are fundamental to our success and make Rolls-royce the most dynamic, fascinating and exciting company in the world.”
Rolls-royce Motor Cars is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the BMW Group and is a completely separate company from Rolls-royce plc, the manufacturer of aircraft engines and propulsion systems.