COVID-19: ‘Essential services’ decree in Italy allows factory reopening, says Manz

LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email
Cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells produced using Manz AG manufacturing equipment. Image: Manz AG.

“We are happy about the Italian government’s decision that allows us to fully resume business operations in Italy,” Manz AG CEO Martin Drasch has said, following a ruling that deems lithium-ion battery production to be of ‘strategic importance’ for the European country.

Mechanical engineering company Manz reopened its two factories in Germany, which include solar industry equipment production lines earlier this month after a three-week halt, our sister site PV Tech reported. That had been done with safety measures in place including short-time working and separate shifts to reduce social contact.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Subsequently, decree issued by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte that came into effect on 14 April gave a list of businesses that could resume operations – with safety measures, precautions and some restrictions in place. Among these restrictions was that employees not directly involved in production at factories such as Manz Italy’s should continue working from home.

Manz’s Italy site develops equipment which is supplied to lithium-ion battery manufacturers and makers of capacitors. Industrial and commercial production has been halted in Italy except for activities indicated in the recent government decree, which includes battery manufacturing and capacitors. Meanwhile, although the decree lists companies involved in the supply of electricity and gas as essential, there appears to be no mention pertaining to renewable energy or energy storage project work, although maintenance activites are thought to be permitted.

“At the beginning of this week, we terminated our three-week shutdown in Germany and Italy as planned. Thanks to the decree of the Italian government, we can now also restart production in Sasso Marconi near Bologna,” Manz CEO Martin Drasch said.

“This means that all of our sites are now fully operational again. Naturally, work at all sites resumes in compliance with the applicable pandemic control regulations and respecting proximity and hygiene rules.”

In addition to Germany and Italy, Manz also has production facilities in Taiwan, China (Suzhou), Hungary and Slovakia, where in March the company said activities remained unchanged.

Read Next

July 18, 2025
As we move through this decisive decade for clean energy, Asia’s energy storage market is stepping firmly onto the global stage.
July 17, 2025
Tom Sisto, CEO of US flow battery provider XL Batteries, writes that lithium-ion batteries’ dependence on a supply chain controlled almost completely by one country is a risk that could be avoided.
Premium
July 16, 2025
Peak Energy president and CCO Cameron Dales speaks with Energy-Storage.news about the state of the battery storage industry after the signing of the Budget Reconciliation Act into law.
July 15, 2025
Invinity Energy Systems believes partnering with a Chinese materials and manufacturing company will enable significant cost reduction of its vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) technology.
July 14, 2025
A total of 5,200MWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) has been submitted to Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter