Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, heeding Hurricane Ian's potential impact, are idling their South Carolina plants ahead of the deadly storm's predicted return to landfall on Friday afternoon as a Category 1 hurricane.
The Mercedes plant, near Charleston, S.C., employs about 1,600 workers who build the Mercedes Sprinter and Metris vans. The automaker said it will idle operations on Friday.
Volvo's plant near Charleston in Ridgeville, S.C., was idled at 11 a.m. EDT Thursday and will remain closed through Friday, Volvo Cars USA said in a statement. The 2.3 million-square-foot plant employs about 1,500 people and produces the Volvo S60 midsize sedan. Next year, the factory will begin building two electric crossovers.