Toyota reopens Putnam County plant with deliberate pace

BUFFALO, W.Va. — The hundreds of workers at the Toyota engine and transmission plant in Putnam County are easing back into production following six weeks off because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Approximately 700 full-time workers and contract members returned to the sprawling plant in Buffalo on May 11. Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia President Srini Matam tells MetroNews last week was not focused on production.

Srini Matam

“Our main intent was to bring the team members back, reorient them on our new protocols, make sure they feel safe before we start marking engines and transmissions,” Matam said.

Toyota stopped production March 20. The first three weeks the workers were paid by the company. The fourth week was paid time off. During the fifth and sixth weeks, Toyota paid for four days each week and workers took paid time off for the other days.

The plant has undergone what Matam describes as a “deep clean” inside and outside. He said they’ve installed barriers in the production area, put in many sanitizing stations and marked the production floor to follow social distancing. Workers have face coverings and face shields.

There’s also a new process that workers go through when they arrive at the plant including daily temperature checks. Matam said some seating has been removed from the plant cafeteria to reduce density concerns.

Matam said the plant has received its production plan and will begin limited manufacturing on engines and transmissions this week.

“We have our orders planned for the next month or so. We’ll continue to meet our demand as the orders come,” he said. “We’ll go slowly and as it is increases we’ll meet the demand. That’s our built-to-order concept and that’s what we’re going to follow.”

Toyota surveyed its workers before the plant reopened. Matam said team members were anxious to return.

“Everybody wanted to come back to work. They’re glad they’re back,” he said.





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