DuPont sees a tough second quarter as auto sales fall

Industrial materials maker DuPont, known for making paint for automobile industry, said on Tuesday its second-quarter would be the “low point” of the year as the COVID-19 pandemic slams the brakes on global vehicle sales, hurting the company’s automotive business. The industrial giant is heavily exposed to the auto industry, which was hard-hit by the U.S.-China trade war even before lockdowns imposed to arrest the spread of the virus emptied roads and shuttered car showrooms. The company said it recorded a low-to-mid-teens percentage fall in April sales from last year’s levels. “As we…

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Detroit Automakers Push for Restart of Plants Within 2 Weeks

Major US automakers are planning to reopen North American factories within two weeks, potentially putting thousands of workers back on the assembly line as part of a gradual return to normality. Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley said on an earnings conference call Tuesday his company plans to start reopening factories May 18, though that depends on an easing of government restrictions. Right now, Michigan’s shelter-at-home order is in effect until May 15. Detroit automakers will likely be on the same timetable because their workers are represented by the same union. The…

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