Despite the lack of auto parts and other foreign inputs due to government restrictions aimed at keeping US dollars within the Central Bank's reserves, Argentina's carmaking industry grew 27.8% year-on-year in October, it was reported in Buenos Aires.
Carmakers Fiat had to halt production Wednesday at its plant in the Argentine province of Córdoba due to the lack of imported inputs, the Stellantis group explained.
Vehicle sales slumped the most in Argentina and Brazil of all Latin American countries during January, according to a report with data for ten nations in the region.
Brazil's National Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers, ANFAVEA said that the 2021 market had a significant improvement to the critical production level of 2020, but was still short of the potential of the industry both in domestic and foreign markets. Nevertheless, Brazilian exports of automobiles reach US$ 7,6 billion.
The Chinese carmaking company Lifan has announced it would halt all of its operations in Uruguay and leave the country after agreeing to pay overdue wages to some 60 workers who have been laid off and alre already on unemployment insurance.
An increase of up to 65% in the sales of used cars was recorded this past month of March in Argentina, the Chamber of Automotive Commerce (CCA) reported.
Carmaker Ford said on Monday losses exacerbated by the coronavirus epidemic and fiscal uncertainties would see it close its three factories in Brazil, where it has operated for a century, terminating some 5,000 jobs.
Brazilian car manufacturing started to recover during the first month of the second half of the year. Numbers released by the National Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea), point out that in July, production reached 170,300 units, an increase of 73% over June, but still 36.2% lower than the same month last year. Despite the increase, it was still the worse July since 2003.
Mexico’s auto production and exports picked up steam in June from a month earlier but were down sharply versus a year earlier, official data showed on Tuesday, as carmakers reopened plants from their coronavirus-induced shutdown.
Brazil’s automakers association said on Monday it only expects auto sales to recover to pre-coronavirus levels in 2025, discarding the possibility of a V-shaped recovery and taking on a grim view for the industry.