Skoda halts Czech output as floods hit ceiling panel maker

August 11, 2010 12:01 CET

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PRAGUE (Reuters) -- Volkswagen AG Czech unit Skoda plans to shut production in all three of its plants in the Czech Republic, after weekend floods damaged its key supplier's factory, it said on Wednesday.

The central European state of 10.5 million was hit by a series of flash floods in the north of the country over the weekend that cost hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and killed at least three people.

Grupo Antolin Bohemia, which provides the vehicle maker with car ceiling panels, had its plant flooded in the town of Chrastava, 120km (about 75 miles) north from the capital Prague, disrupting deliveries.

Skoda spokesman Jaroslav Cerny said production would be halted as of Thursday in Skoda's Vrchlabi and Mlada Boleslav plants, which make the Fabia subcompact and Octavia compact.

An extra shift on Saturday planned in the Kvasiny unit, which produces the Yeti small SUV, Roomster small minivan and Superb mid-sized model, would also be cancelled, he said. Skoda expects production to resume on Monday at the factories, which make a combined 2,500 cars a day.

He declined to asses costs of the outage or whether Skoda would be able to catch up with production this year.

Skoda is the Czech Republic's second-largest company by sales, and cars and car parts production is the backbone of Czech exports, equivalent to nearly 70 percent of the central European country's gross domestic product.

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Excellent....

:(

At 2,500 cars a day at the three factories shut and four days, that is a loss of 10,000 cars and who knows what Saturday night's shift at Kvasiny adds (asuming it is the only factory doing a Saturday shift).

I reckon this is going to add on a couple of weeks to any orders. Not great bearing in mind that any factory order now seems to be put into build weeks late November so delivery will be December but if they suffer delays they will be pushed into the new year.

Excellent....

:(

AWWWW have a hug Allams

it will soon be sorted once the insurance companies visit and give the 'go-ahead' for repairs,

I cant believe I now face the possibility of having to wait 7 months (if im lucky) from ordering to delivery for a car - ridiculous situation in all my years of driving I have never seen this sort of wait for a standard production car. I hope I will be getting some better news soon as I am not waiting into the new year for a car !!

Getting rapidly sick of the constant setbacks now.

I'm not quite following the discussion here: Why should the deliveries be delayed with several weeks if the factory is only closed for four days? Shouldn't the delay be the same length as the factory is closed, or is there a long startup time before the plant is up tp speed again??

oh... arse!.

Seems my contract will be broken then, i was promised delivery before 31st of october :(

No VIN number yet either so with 2 months to go, i highly doubt its going to happen :'(

I'm not quite following the discussion here: Why should the deliveries be delayed with several weeks if the factory is only closed for four days? Shouldn't the delay be the same length as the factory is closed, or is there a long startup time before the plant is up tp speed again??

In answer to your question - Yes

However, if Skoda are determined to catch up , if they dont do it already, what to stop them doing 27 by 7 working for a short while.

This is not at all surprising about delays, companies having promotions / new products then severely underestimating its impact - The Fiat 500 & bini's were prime examples, the initial take up of orders overwhelmed them, factories working 24 by 7, some other models production scaled back to take on the extra requirements of the new model.

When I collected my 500, was chatting to the dealer & he mentioned that Fiat UK had to fight hard to stop the factory reducing the agreed numbers of RHD cars for the UK, because there was a waiting time of 10 -12 months for a LHD car.

Currently have a car on short term lease whilst waiting for the Yeti which was ordered 06-07-10. I have been told week 42 build I hope this stays the same as I don't want this turning into a long term lease agreement. I was hoping my first outing would be to Wales in November for Rally GB so keeping my fingers crossed. One thing I won't be impressed with is if delivery is further delayed and attempts are made to up the price agreed due to the VAT rise. I'm really looking forward to owning the Yeti but my enthusiasm isn't helped when I hear of possible further delays.  

I'll move this as it applies to all models I guess

Currently have a car on short term lease whilst waiting for the Yeti which was ordered 06-07-10. I have been told week 42 build I hope this stays the same as I don't want this turning into a long term lease agreement. I was hoping my first outing would be to Wales in November for Rally GB so keeping my fingers crossed. One thing I won't be impressed with is if delivery is further delayed and attempts are made to up the price agreed due to the VAT rise. I'm really looking forward to owning the Yeti but my enthusiasm isn't helped when I hear of possible further delays.  

Go and watch the Roger Albert rather than the Welsh 12 car

This doesn't sound good for my car then :'( , supposed to have build date of week 44 god knows when it will be now!

However, if Skoda are determined to catch up , if they dont do it already, what to stop them doing 27 by 7 working for a short while.

That would only work if their suppliers (ie the ones who got flooded) are prepared/able to do the same thing.

Can't imagine what's going to happen to build-quality if they are doing catch-up ? And catch-up at the limits of production capacity ! Duh !

Nick

Edited 18 August, 201015 yr by Clunkclick