Michelin North America and Cooper Tire & Rubber Company have both announced a temporarily shut down of certain tire manufacturing facilities in North America in an effort to protect the health and safety of their employees amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Michelin began a phased suspension of some of its tire production facilities in the U.S. and Canada which will last at least two weeks. The affected production currently excludes vital and critical tires for the country's economic continuity, according to the company. Distribution and logistics activities will continue to support customers through existing inventories. Michelin is monitoring conditions closely and has established appropriate contingency plans, prepared to adjust as the situation evolves.

Cooper Tire’s process of phasing down production at the plants has also begun and will proceed on a rolling schedule over the coming week, with facilities in the U.S. and Mexico expected to be closed for two to three weeks. Cooper has stated it will continue to closely monitor the situation and adjust timelines as necessary. The company is currently assessing plans for its Europe operations. Cooper’s plants in China, which reopened several weeks ago, and have continued to ramp up production, remain in operation.

These closures this follows on the announcement of similar moves by Bridgestone and Goodyear.