ROCKLEIGH, NJ (June 1, 2020) Luxury carmaker Volvo is taking safety to a new level by helping its retailers implement a stringent set of health protections in showrooms and service centers as coronavirus restrictions ease across the U.S.
In 1927 Volvo was founded upon the idea that cars are driven by people, and therefore the guiding principle behind everything the company does is, and must remain, safety.
In 2020, having the freedom to move safely and freely is more critical than ever.
To start, Volvo Car USA has provided retailers across the U.S. with a unique playbook based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and local and industry guidance, which outlines cleaning, hygiene and social distancing protocols, as well as access to the tools they need to safely restart operations,
Highly visible Point-of-Sale materials include:
- A-frame and countertop signage to educate customers about being safe and following process
- Directional and location signage like Footprint Stickers and Floor Distance Strips to help building occupants maintain safe distances
- Key bags to minimize contamination
- A specialized, nine-point vehicle sanitization and disinfection process around service, test drives and walk arounds protect consumers and employees with minimal disruption
In addition, Volvo Car USA is facilitating critical upgrades its retailers can implement to help prevent the spread of disease. Retailers have the opportunity to invest in pre-designed plexiglass hygiene barriers, hands-free door openers, steering wheel and seat coverings, specialized cleaning and sanitizing materials, and of course disposable masks and gloves, through a centralized sourcing process.
“First and foremost, Volvo is about safety,” said Anders Gustafsson, Senior Vice President Americas and President and CEO Volvo Car USA. “The ability to move safely and freely about the world will always be critical. We have partnered with our retailers to create spaces that aim to make everyone feel safe and comfortable, whether they’re looking for a new car, getting their Volvo serviced, or are in their workplace.”
In-store preparations and precautions are in addition to remote services that enable consumers to engage with the brand from the comfort of their homes. These include the Volvo Virtual Showroom, where shoppers can take a digital walkaround of new Volvo cars; new-car home delivery; and Volvo Valet pickup and delivery for service appointments. Consumers can visit www.volvocars.com to learn more.
About Volvo Car USA
Volvo Car USA LLC, (www.volvocars.com/us) is a subsidiary of Volvo Car Group of Gothenburg, Sweden. VCUSA provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to Volvo automobile retailers in the United States. For more information please refer to the VCUSA media website at: http://www.media.volvocars.com/us.
Volvo Car Group in 2019
For the 2019 financial year, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of 14.3 BSEK (14.2 BSEK in 2018). Revenue over the period amounted to 274.1 BSEK (252.7 BSEK). For the full year 2019, global sales reached a record 705,452 (642,253) cars, an increase of 9.8 per cent versus 2018. The results underline the comprehensive transformation of Volvo Cars’ finances and operations in recent years, positioning the company for its next growth phase.
About Volvo Car Group
Volvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected premium car brands in the world with sales of 705,452 cars in 2019 in about 100 countries. Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of the Zhejiang Geely Holding of China since 2010.
In 2019, Volvo Cars employed on average approximately 41,500 (41,500) full-time employees. Volvo Cars head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars head office for APAC is located in Shanghai. The company’s main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu and Daqing (China), while engines are manufactured in Skövde (Sweden) and Zhangjiakou (China) and body components in Olofström (Sweden).
Under its new company purpose, Volvo Cars aims to provide customers with the Freedom to Move in a personal, sustainable and safe way. This purpose is reflected into a number of business ambitions: for example, by the middle of this decade it aims for half of its global sales to be fully electric cars and to generate half of its revenue from its direct consumer business. Volvo Cars is also committed to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to be a climate-neutral company by 2040.