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Stellantis Surprises and Announces 1,500 Job Openings in Brazil! Moreover, the Automotive Giant Will Bring the Chinese Brand Leapmotor, Heavily Investing in the Future of Electric Cars.
The Brazilian automotive sector is experiencing a paradoxical moment: on one hand, automakers continue to invest in expansion and modernization; on the other, the lack of skilled labor is becoming an increasing challenge.
Amidst this scenario, Stellantis, the group that controls brands like Fiat, Citroën, and Jeep, surprises by announcing the hiring of 1,500 new workers for its operations in Brazil in 2025.
Hiring and Expansion of Stellantis in Brazil
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According to the Terra portal, the CEO of Stellantis for South America, Emanuele Cappellano, states that about 1,200 positions will be allocated to the Betim (MG) unit, the largest industrial complex of the group in the world.
With the expansion, the total number of employees at the Minas Gerais unit will reach approximately 17,000.
Currently, the Betim plant operates at full capacity, producing 630,000 vehicles, 1.1 million engines, and 540,000 transmissions per year.
The hub also houses one of the largest automotive engineering centers in the region, employing around 4,000 professionals.
In addition to Betim, Stellantis will also direct part of the new hires to its factory in Porto Real (RJ), where models from Citroën are currently manufactured.
The Goiana (PE) unit, responsible for producing Jeep and RAM, is also growing and will complete 10 years of operations in 2025.
Market Leadership and New Bets
Fiat, the main brand of Stellantis in Brazil, closed 2024 as the market leader for the fourth consecutive year, holding 29.4% market share.
The highlight was the Strada pickup, which became the best-selling vehicle in the country.
Across South America, Stellantis dominated with a share of 22.9% of the automotive market.
With the automotive sector booming, the National Association of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea) projects that new car sales in Brazil will grow 5.6% in 2025, reaching 2.8 million units.
Arrival of Leapmotor and Advancements in Electric Vehicles
In a strategic move, Stellantis will also bring the Chinese brand Leapmotor to Brazil, specializing in electrified vehicles.
The launch will occur in 2025 and will also encompass the Chilean market. Initially, the models will be imported from China, but Cappellano does not rule out the possibility of local production in the future.
The official announcement of Leapmotor will take place in April 2025, when Stellantis will reveal the first models that will be sold in the region.
“We want to ensure a consistent product with the market,” said the executive.
The partnership with Leapmotor comes at a time when traditional automakers in Brazil are studying measures to counter the competition from Chinese brands like BYD and GWM, which have significantly increased their imports of electric vehicles in recent years.
Expansion of Fiat in Argentina
Another important move by Stellantis is the manufacturing of the Titano pickup in Argentina. The model will directly compete with pickups from Toyota, Ford, and GM.
To make this production viable, the group invested US$ 385 million (about R$ 1.9 billion) in its Córdoba unit, reinforcing its commitment to the South American market.
The Titano will be the first Stellantis model produced in Argentina.
Future and Challenges of the Sector
Despite investments and hiring, the automotive sector faces significant challenges. The lack of skilled labor is cited as one of the main obstacles to industry expansion.
To address this situation, companies have invested in employee training and technical training programs.
With the arrival of Leapmotor, new investments, and production expansion, Stellantis reinforces its position as one of the largest automakers in Brazil and South America.
The question remains: will the new hires be sufficient to meet the growing market demand?
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