Hero MotoCorp resumes manufacturing operations at three plants

The country's largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp on Monday said it has resumed operations across three of its manufacturing plants with actual product roll-out expected to begin from Wednesday. The company is commencing operations in a graded manner at three of its manufacturing plants Gurugram, Dharuhera (both in Haryana) and Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Hero MotoCorp said in a statement.

Additionally, the company's Global Parts Center (GPC) at Neemrana in Rajasthan has also resumed operations. The decision comes in the wake of the relaxations put in place by the government on the countrywide lockdown and the necessary permissions granted by local authorities, it added. The manufacturing plants Haryana and Uttarakhand reopen from Monday and production at these facilities will commence from Wednesday, the two-wheeler major said.

We are now ready to hit the ground sprinting as we commence the re-opening of our facilities. The wellbeing of the citizens continues to be our focus and the running of our economic engines is crucial to ensure their health and prosperity," Hero MotoCorp Chairman Pawan Munjal said. From the early onset of COVID-19, the company has been proactive in its business continuity plan and this has helped during the much-needed nationwide lockdown, he added.

"I am optimistic that business and the economy will begin the trajectory of its gradual recovery from here," Munjal stated.

The company said it has also obtained necessary permissions to reopen its other plants as well, and operations will commence once supply chain partners get requisite permits to re-start. Besides, Haryana and Uttarakhand, the company has plants at Neemrana (Rajasthan), Halol (Gujarat) and Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh).

Hero MotoCorp said its Jaipur-based research and development facility Centre of Innovation and Technology has also received the necessary permission to reopen and will resume functioning soon. With the easing of restrictions in several parts of the country, most of the company's extensive customer touch-points, including dealerships, workshops and the secondary network, are expected to open gradually Monday onwards, it added.

A business restart manual has also been shared with all the dealer partners of the company and they are restarting operations as per the government guidelines, after obtaining the necessary permissions from the local authorities, the company said. Hero MotoCorp halted operations across its manufacturing facilities and made work-from-home mandatory for all its offices from March 22, 2020.