As of April 1st, white collars at Toyota Material Handling Europe’s all Swedish subsidiaries will go under part time technical unemployment. This involves about 1,400 people in total, of which the majority works in Mjölby.
The measure follows as a natural response to the severe slowdown the company sees in its business across Europe under the Covid-19 pandemic. This measure concerns white-collar workers at all levels of the Swedish operations. Only those who have direct business-critical duties are to be excluded. Similar measures are being taken in most European countries where Toyota Material Handling Europe operates following the local authorities’ directives.
“Like other leading companies, we need to adjust our costs to the business situation. This was a tough decision but inevitable measures in this situation. We still feel great confidence that we operate in an industry undergoing transformation and with strong demand. Our business and our finances are strong, says Peter Damberg, Senior Vice President HR, Sustainable Development & Corporate Communications at Toyota Material Handling Europe, headquartered in Mjölby, Sweden.
Toyota Material Handling Europe strives to maintain its operations and service to customers as far as possible in the current situation, but our utmost priority goes to our employees’ health and safety. Toyota’s products play a crucial role in some of society’s most critical supply chains, including foods and medicines.
“We have a responsibility that goes beyond our own company which we take very seriously”, Peter Damberg says.
The factories in France and Italy have been closed, while production at the company’s largest site in Mjölby continues.
“We have so far managed to secure the inflow of necessary components and have a strong order stock. But of course, also for us it will be a challenge to keep production going in the future”, says Peter Damberg.
Most of the white-collar workers covered by this measure are working in Toyota Material Handling operations in Mjölby. The Swedish sales company with head office in Solna and operations in several locations in Sweden are also affected, as is the subsidiary Logistics Solutions in Gothenburg.
(Toyota Material Handling Europe)
