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Daimler Shutters Van Plant Amid Hurricane Florence Evacuations

Daimler Shutters Van Plant Amid Hurricane Florence Evacuations

(Bloomberg) -- Daimler AG suspended operations at its new Mercedes-Benz van factory in South Carolina after Hurricane Florence prompted orders to evacuate areas in the path of the Category 4 storm.

“Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston plant has suspended operations for September 11 until further notice in anticipation of potential impacts from Hurricane Florence,” the company said in a statement. “We urge our team members, their families and all those in the path of Hurricane Florence to take this time to prepare and stay safe during the storm.”

Daimler just opened the factory in north Charleston last week, and it’s been contracted to produce 20,000 Sprinter vans for Amazon.com Inc.’s package-delivery service. Volvo Car Group, the Swedish carmaker owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., said Monday it idled operations at its new plant near Charleston. The factory is its first in the U.S. and makes S60 mid-size sedans.

To contact the reporter on this story: Gabrielle Coppola in New York at gcoppola@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Craig Trudell at ctrudell1@bloomberg.net, Jamie Butters

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