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The German multinational Volkswagen may also close the production of Gol, Voyage and Fox at its factory in Taubaté, SP
After the great departure of the Ford automaker from the country, taking the EcoSport SUV and the Ka family out of line, the German multinational Volkswagen, announced last Wednesday (07/04) the end of production of the Up! at the factory in Taubaté. The model was produced exclusively at the unit in the interior of São Paulo and will be discontinued.
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According to the German automaker, the measure is part of a portfolio renewal strategy. The multinational also informed that “it is going through the biggest offensive of products in its history in the country”.
Gol, Voyage and Fox are also in the automaker's sights, after many years on the road. But, back to the up!, its departure will be regretted by many owners, who see in the model an advantageous product.
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With the end of production of the Up!, the Volkswagen factory in Taubaté will continue with the production of two models: Gol and Voyage until the German company decides whether it will also remove the vehicles from the line in Brazil and produce a new vehicle at the factory, which has not yet been confirmed by the automaker.
Production of new models by the German multinational is in the implementation phase
According to the Metallurgists Union, the MQB platform, which enables the production of new models, is being implemented at the Taubaté factory.
The entity also states that the agreement for the installation of the new platform, made in 2020, guarantees stability for five years in the jobs and the production of an exclusive model for the unit.
The Up! it was the last major investment announced by the automaker in Taubaté, which employs around 3 people. In addition to it, the assembly line also has the Gol and Voyage.
In March, 11 thousand cars were registered between Gol, Up! and Voyage, according to Fenabrave data. The Gol was the third most licensed car in the country, with 6,8 units; Voyage had 3,6 licenses and Up! only 563.
After automakers paralyze vehicle manufacturing at 29 factories in Brazil, Volkswagen and Toyota return production in the country
Volkswagen has been making production stops since the start of the pandemic. This week, the company returned to operation, but with part of the production, after two weeks paralyzed across the country due to the worsening of the coronavirus pandemic.
Since March 2020, the company has announced measures such as layoff, opening of a voluntary dismissal plan and adherence to agreements to reduce working hours and wages.
Taubaté – SP suffers from the crisis in the industry
Taubaté has been heavily impacted by the crisis in the industry in 2021. The multinationals Ford and LG, which have been operating in the city for years, must close their local productions.
The first announcement was made by Ford, in January, and around 830 metallurgists are expected to lose their jobs at the automaker's engine factory. The automaker Ford has announced that it will end vehicle production at its factories in Brazil in 2021 (see video above). In all, 5 thousand jobs should be affected in Taubaté, Camaçari (BA) and Horizonte (CE).
In the last week, LG also announced the end of production at the factory in Taubaté (SP). The South Korean company decided to end global operations in cell phones, in Brazil produced exclusively at the unit, and transfer the monitors and notebooks sector to the factory in Manaus (AM).
The departure of the Korean company should lead to the closure of 700 direct jobs, in addition to affecting the production chain in the region. According to the Metallurgists Union, three exclusive suppliers of LG should also close activities with the loss of demand from the South Korean, causing the dismissal of another 430 people.
