Stellantis will invest R$13 billion by 2030 in a production hub in the Northeast

Reuters – Stellantis announced this Thursday that it will invest 13 billion reais in its industrial hub in Goiana (PE) between 2025 and 2030, in a strategy to launch new vehicle platforms and improve production competitiveness in the face of the arrival of rivals. Asians to the country.

The investment is one of the largest ever made by a private company in the history of the region and with it the company intends, in addition to launching new vehicle models, to increase the number of local suppliers at the Pernambuco factory from the current 38 to 100. The objective is to achieve savings in production costs due to the proximity of the parts that equip its models in the region, Emanuele Cappellano, president of Stellantis South America, told journalists.

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In Goiana, Stellantis produces sports utility models such as the Jeep Renegade, Compass and Commander, in addition to the Fiat Toro pickup truck. The factory’s capacity is 280,000 cars per year, something that Stellantis has not yet reached, said the executive, without detailing the level of use of the unit.

“We want a broader supplier base to increase the hub’s competitiveness,” said Cappellano. “The hub still suffers from a lack of competitiveness,” he added, citing issues involving the region’s infrastructure and a shortage of trained personnel.

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The executive did not give details about the investments, but stated that the factory will receive resources for the production of vehicles on platforms that can receive, in addition to combustion engines, hybrid powertrains, as well as there will be additional contributions in areas including vehicle safety.

According to the executive, currently the level of nationalization of Stellantis components in Brazil is “more than 80%”, but the company only produces combustion models in the country. An announcement about the group’s first hybrid vehicle to be manufactured in the country should be made in the second half of the year, he said.

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Asked about Goiana, Cappellano stated that the complex’s nationalization rate is “a little below 80%”. According to him, “local production means lower costs and less effect of exchange rate volatility on imports and lower maintenance costs for the customer.”

The value of the investment in Goiana is part of the 30 billion reais that the company intends to inject into Brazil by 2030, according to Stellantis’ announcement at the beginning of March.

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The remainder of the resources, 17 billion reais, will be distributed among the other two vehicle factories that the company has in Brazil: one in Betim (MG), which produces Fiat models, and one in Porto Real (RJ), which currently assembles Citroën cars.

This year, Stellantis has already launched three vehicles in Brazil, including the new Fiat Titano pickup truck and the presentation of the Citroën Basalt “utility coupe”. By the end of the year, the group of automakers intends to launch six more vehicles in Brazil. In the total investment plan until 2030, there will be 40 new models in the region, eight powertrains and four “biohybrid” platforms, the company’s brand to designate flex hybrid models.

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According to Cappellano, Stellantis will be able to manufacture an electric car in Brazil by 2030. “We are contemplating the launch of an electric car, but this depends on market trends and financial sustainability. The problem is how many of these cars can be absorbed by the market”, said the executive, citing that in Brazil an electric car costs 10 thousand dollars more than a combustion car to produce.

ARGENTINA – In addition to the 30 billion reais planned for Brazil until 2030, Stellantis will inject 2 billion reais in Argentina during the period, said Cappellano.

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The executive did not give details about the launches of the new package, but stated that the company will produce the Peugeot 2008 utility vehicle in Argentina, which consumed investments of 270 million dollars from a previous investment plan in the country. The model will be Stellantis’ first sports utility vehicle manufactured in Argentina.

“We held back communication (about 2008) to see the political and economic scenario in Argentina, but now we are ready to announce the investment,” said Cappellano. The car will be exported to Brazil, along with its smaller brother, 208, which is already sold in the country via imports from Argentina.