Boeing and Volvo have shut down their factories in South Carolina because of Hurricane Florence (BA)

pulse

September 11, 2018 6:42 PM

Hurricane Florence is bearing down on the East Coast of the United States. It's expected to make landfall on Thursday. Boeing and Volvo have shut down their Charleston, South Carolina factories to allow employees to evacuate.

Boeing South Carolina assembles the Boeing 787 Dreamliner while Volvo's plant will produce the company's next-generation S60 sedan.

Hurricane Florence is bearing down on the East Coast of the United States. It's expected to make landfall on Thursday along the coast of North and South Carolina.

In the path of the storm are Boeing's and Volvo's factories near Charleston, South Carolina. This is where the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Volvo S60 sedan are assembled.

The Boeing plant will be shut down on Tuesday to give its more than 6,000 employees a chance safely evacuate ahead of the storm, the airplane maker said in a statement.

"As there is a mandatory evacuation order in place for our region, our plant is currently closed until further notice, a Volvos spokesperson told us. "We’re taking the necessary precautions to prepare the plant for the impending storm."

Both companies say their plants will remain shuttered until it is safe to resume operations.

Boeing's South Carolina complex is located next to Charleston International Airport and includes a 1.2 million square foot Dreamliner final assembly building.

Volvo South Carolina is home to the company's next-generation S60 sedan later this year. The facility, which currently boasts 1,000 employees, is capable of producing 100,000 cars per year.

The storm boasts sustained winds of nearly 130 mph with gusts even higher, the National Weather Service reported Tuesday morning. It's currently considered a Category 4 hurricane, but the NWS expects the storm to strengthen over the next day or so.

Here is Boeing's statement in its entirety:

pulse

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng