The Stellantis group factory in Porto Real/RJ will go through a period and adjustments in the pace of production. On the one hand, the group explains the low external demand for production, but on the other hand, it promises to install new lines in the next few days to manufacture two new models in the country.
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R7-Autos Carros spoke with sources connected to the company to clarify the issue. Officially, Stellantis, which had started a second shift at the Citroën and Peugeot factory in the last quarter of last year, decided to close this second phase of the plant in advance. As a result, 340 people who worked on temporary work contracts were dismissed, but 1,500 continue to work at the Fluminense factory.
Officially, the group manifested itself in a note: “Stellantis readjusted the industrial planning of the Porto Real unit, in order to adapt its production rhythm to the level of demand in the foreign market. The unit starts to concentrate the production of cars in one shift of expanded capacity, with greater efficiency and agility to better respond to market demands. As a result of this adjustment, it was necessary to bring forward the end of fixed-term and temporary contracts, mostly contracted to meet the immediate need to increase production”.
Currently, the plant produces the compact Citroën C3, in addition to the C4 Cactus and Peugeot 2008, the latter two already at the end of generation. C3 was the result of a recent investment of BRL 220 million to implement the CMP platform.
The Stellantis group’s decision is supported by foreign market figures. The crisis in Argentina, an important market for French brands such as Citroën and Peugeot, directly harms exports to the second largest South American market after Brazil. Anfavea estimates that exports should continue to fall this year. Meanwhile, the domestic market should grow a maximum of 2.2% this year, less than forecast for last year, when it actually grew 5.4% in sales.
New projects
In the coming days, the Porto Real factory will set up new production lines for two new products that will bear the Citroën emblem: a compact 7-seater SUV and also a compact sedan.
However, this new CMP platform demands a higher level of automation and there is no information about hiring motivated by these two new products. For now, the factory will produce in a single shift.
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7-seat SUV: later this year Citroën will launch a crossover with a family profile and compact size but with capacity for 7 passengers. This new model uses the CMP platform, the same as the current C3, and should use the name C3 Aircross with 1.0 turbo engine options (originating from Fiat) and also the traditional 1.6 EC5 of the former PSA, which is manufactured in Porto Real.
Compact sedan: next year Citroën should launch a small sedan to compete with traditional models such as Chevrolet Onix Plus, Fiat Cronos, Volkswagen Virtus and Hyundai HB20S. It will have a proposal similar to that of the Citroën C-Eliseè offered in the Middle East but not with its current design whose features “are no longer used by the brand”, according to sources heard by the R7.
New Peugeot 2008 flex: another project that can be implemented and produced in Porto Real is the new 2008, which is already offered as an electric model but with a turboflex engine. There is no precise date for this to occur, however.
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Stellantis is also making efforts to contain a wave of false news about a possible closure of the group’s activities in Porto Real. “It is not true information. This is clearly fake news,” the group said. “The unit will continue to contribute to the company’s leadership in the Brazilian, Argentine, Chilean and South American markets. And it is prepared to meet the growth of the market.”