Hyundai plans to go ahead with new launches, doesn't see Covid-19 roadblock

Company says work-from-home has been useful; doesn't foresee any delay in launches as it awaits govt clarity on resuming operations

Hyundai is planning to go ahead with new vehicle launches despite the Covid-19 challenges. It is looking at various factors to start manufacturing in its Chennai unit, with the Tamil Nadu government likely to allow limited operations in factories located in rural areas and industrial estates, starting Monday, April 20.

Hyundai believes the work-from-home (WFH) model is quite effective as its project works are ongoing and employees have been working, even during the lockdown on all the new models that it plans to launch. New ideas have been generated in large numbers and are expected yield very good dividends for the company, senior Hyundai officials said.

"As of now we are able to maintain whatever project that are in the pipeline. We don't anticipate any kind of delay in the launches that we have planned. Things will become much clearer when State government tells us when we can operate our processes," said Ganesh Mani, director-production at Hyundai Motor India.

The company had planned a total of four launches this year, of which Aura and the all-new Creta have already hit the market. Of the other two facelift models for the year, Verna has been launched while Tucson is likely to, during the course of the year.

The company is waiting for government directives to resume operations. The state government has formed a committee under the leadership of State Finance Secretary. A number of industry bodies are also a part of the committee.  

Discussions on Covid-19 have been ongoing since January at the global level. Initially, when supply chains in other countries were impacted, the company was still able to manage. But now that the they have been disrupted in India, the company has made the safety of its employees a priority. The management has been constantly in touch with each of its staffers and has been enquiring about their well being, the company said. While Kancheepuram, where its factory is located, is a green zone, it has a supply chain network all across the country. Hyundai is awaiting clarifications from the Tamil Nadu government and will start production once the key issues are ironed out. The company is in touch with all its partners across locations.

Hyundai sees the need for a whole set of standard operating procedures and believes that a new normal may be coming into place in its industry.