Honeywell, Renewal by Andersen temporarily close plants after employees test positive for COVID-19

Honeywell has shut down its Stinson Boulevard plant in Minneapolis for deep cleaning and sanitization after four employees tested positive for COVID-19.

A worker tested positive on Tuesday, and then three more positive tests came back Thursday, the company said.

The plant makes sensors and laser gyros.

Honeywell said it had moved machines and work cells apart to allow social distancing several weeks ago. Workers must wear masks.

The temporary plant shutdown is "out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our employees," the company said in a statement.

Employees will be paid during the closure, the statement said.

Honeywell's temporary closure comes the same week that Renewal By Andersen closed its replacement-window plant in Cottage Grove after two workers tested positive for COVID-19.

Honeywell said a rough estimate of positive cases at its 30 U.S. facilities is 100.

Already, Honeywell has increased the daily cleaning at its Minnesota plants — the Stinson Boulevard plant in Minneapolis plus Golden Valley, Plymouth and Rochester. The company also has banned outside visitors, and if employees could not be far enough apart working on machines, it installed plexiglass partitions between the workstations.

Employees also have their temperature taken every time they enter the facility, the company said.