(Bloomberg) -- BMW AG is bringing forward the scheduled maintenance of its Oxford plant in England to coincide with the day the U.K. is slated to leave the European Union, joining a lengthening list of companies making contingency plans for a so-called no-deal Brexit.
Instead of taking place as usual during the summer months, the four-week shut-down of the factory will start on April 1, a spokeswoman confirmed over the phone to Bloomberg. Among the reasons for the date switch are worries about Brexit, she said.
As a no-deal Brexit looks ever more likely, automakers such as Munich-based BMW are becoming increasingly worried about the impact on their supply chains. In many cases, parts for the Oxford plant arrive for just-in-time delivery, which can mean minutes before they are needed in production.
Even small delays at borders, which a no-deal Brexit would likely cause, would send ripples through BMW's entire supply chain. The carmaker is currently calculating several weeks of adjustment following Brexit day.
To contact the reporter on this story: Oliver Sachgau in Munich at osachgau@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tara Patel at tpatel2@bloomberg.net, ;Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net, John Bowker
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