MEMA President and CEO Bill Long, along with 90 motor vehicle component and parts suppliers urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to push for an “industry wide” reopening date of May 12 for motor vehicle parts manufacturers in Mexico.
“May 12 will be slightly ahead of planned May 18 opening of numerous U.S. assembly plants,” Long said in the May 5 letter, “which is an essential step to enable original equipment production to occur on that date. Suppliers’ reopening can be effectively managed by a ramp-up of manufacturing spread over a number of shifts to further enhance social distancing and allow for greater hygiene in plants.”
Copies of the letter were sent to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.