FRANKFURT, Feb 21 (AFP) - The visit to Germany by US President George W. Bush this week represents not only a logistical challenge for the security forces, but is also likely to cause nasty headaches for local industry, companies revealed on Monday.
The production lines of car maker Opel, a unit of US auto giant General Motors, would be halted on the early and late shifts on Wednesday, since many employees would not be able to clock on for work or go home in time amid the huge security measures being enforced, an Opel spokesman said.
About 5,000 employees would be affected and the lost production would be made good on the two following Saturdays.
Henkell und Soehnlein, the Wiesbaden-based maker of sparkling wine ("Sekt"), which currently works only a four-day week at this time of year, would switch its production-free day from Friday to Wednesday, the day of Bush's visit, it said.
But at Werner und Mertz, a Mainz-based maker of detergents, employees had voted against a production stoppage, a company spokeswoman said.
Of the firm's 545-strong workforce in Germany, 400 employees at the group's factory in Mainz would be affected, but they would try to get to work on time.
Cement maker Dyckerhoff in Wiesbaden said production would continue, but on a reduced headcount, since many of the employees lived locally.
And Swedish furniture store giant IKEA said its German headquarters in Wallau would remain open for business, should customers be able to find their way to the store.
Bush is scheduled to visit Mainz on Wednesday, where he will meet Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
Security will be so tight there that the authorities will be shutting down a stretch of one of the country's main trade arteries, the Rhine River.
The stretch of the Rhine flowing through Mainz and Wiesbaden will be closed to shipping and a 57-kilometre-wide (35-mile-wide) no-fly zone will apply above Mainz for helicopters and light aircraft, although jet airliners are exempt.
The route the Bush motorcade will follow from Mainz to the US airbase in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim is usually home to around 15,000 people, but on Wednesday it will be deserted, closed to traffic and pedestrians from seven in the morning until seven in the evening.
Local companies in the region will use flexible working hours or allow employees to work from home where possible.

02/21/2005 15:22 GMT - AFP