Return of workers is anticipated by FIAT after the stock of parts has improved. 970 of the 1800 workers returned to active duty

Realizing that the worst phase of the parts supply crisis has passed, Fiat anticipated, on Monday, the return of 970 of the 1800 employees who had been removed about two months ago, from the Betim factory, in the state of Minas Gerais. (MG).

On December 10th, during a press conference provided by Fiat, Antonio Filosa, president of Stellantis in the region, projected that the light car market should grow from 10% to 12% in 2022. in the belief that, starting next year, there will be greater balance in the supply of electronic components.

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The forecast of the automaker in MG is that the rest of the workers who are suspended from their contracts will return to work shortly after the end of the year holidays.

“With regard to semiconductors, we have signs that there is beginning to be equilibrium. It won't balance completely, but it will improve compared to the previous performance”, declared Filosa.

According to the president, suppliers together with the global automobile industry are working so that the shortage of chips, which is currently the main culprit for the decrease in the production of automakers such as Fiat, is solved.

“I can't be crazy and say that the problems will end, but I see signs of improvement in the supply of semiconductors… We should have fewer problems in 2022”, said Antonio Filosa.

Fiat: sales leader

According to Filosa, Fiat ended the year as the most consumed car brand in the country for having lost fewer products compared to the competition, in the “fight for semiconductors”. According to the president's analysis, this fact caused Fiat to gain 2,5 percentage points in market share.

With the goal of not losing its prominent place to other automakers, Fiat is counting on the great acceptance of recent releases, and also for those that will come next year. “We have planted the seeds to have a year full of new models in 2022, when we will also launch more cars. The only right I have after asking shareholders for so many investments is to grow.”

Despite the oscillations that characterize election years, mainly with regard to the exchange rate, Stellantis' management renewed the investment program, which was launched more than two years ago, and which foresees R$ 7,5 billion until 2023, in the unit of production of Fiat and Jeep models in Pernambuco. 

 This value also refers to the acquisition of new parts suppliers, whose objective is to conquer 60 of them in the vicinity of the conglomerate of factories.

With regard to Fiat's financial performance in South America, Antonio Filosa stated that the pronouncement is up to the automaker's global president, Carlos Tavares, to inform. However, Filosa announced that profitability has grown compared to last year, in which the profit margin was extremely small.