Fiat Chrysler’s dealers, mechanic workshops to reopen on Monday

MILAN (Reuters) – Fiat Chrysler said on Thursday its Italian network of approved dealers and mechanic workshops would reopen on May 4, when the country is set to start lifting a national lockdown put in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

A package of health and safety measures for workers and clients will be put in place across the entire network to comply with the rules set by Rome to prepare for a staged restart of economic activities after weeks of national lockdown triggered by the virus outbreak.

A vast majority of FCA’s dealers and workshops in Italy are run by private operators, while the automaker directly operates some large ones in big cities.

FCA this week resumed van production at its Atessa plant in central Italy and some operations in other Italian plants, including preparatory works at its Melfi facility for the final development of Jeep’s new hybrid cars, and at Turin’s Mirafiori plant for its new electric 500 small car.

(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari; editing by David Evans)