Due to the lack of dollars and the obstacles to import, the Automotive industry is working in a critical situation to try to keep the plants operating. Both the terminals and, especially, the auto parts manufacturers have serious problems to continue producing.
In the last weeks, almost all the automakers had to make technical stops due to lack of inputs or remove unfinished vehicles from the line for the same reason. An example was that of Stellantis, just as Ámbito had advanced. Also in the last few hours Renault, in Córdoba, had to suspend the activity. Until now, the shutdowns are momentary until the problem is solved and the supply of parts resumes.
Faced with this scenario, the terminals anticipate that, if the shortage of parts deepens, the stops will no longer be in turns but could be extended over time, especially if one takes into account that, in the midst of the electoral campaign, the government He is concentrating on the October elections.
“At the moment, the industry is working with intermittent stops, but it is already unsustainable. We are one step away from having to start suspending production for a few days. The problem is not only with the terminals, but it is worsened in the local auto parts manufacturers that, due to a lack of imported inputs, cannot supply us properly. If this continues, we are going to have to start laying off staff,” they explained to Ambit from a car.
This issue was raised by the manufacturers to the SMATA union, which quickly raised the concern with Minister Sergio Massa. “We know that the general secretary of SMATA raised the problem with the government that the sector was on the verge of having to make longer suspensions because you cannot work in this way,” they said in another terminal, alluding to Ricardo Pignanelli. “He was very angry with Massa when we asked him what is happening.” added the source.
This fact occurred in the context of the sector’s claim for the delays in the approval of import permits -known as SIRA- and the complications to pay foreign suppliers that cause more and more inconveniences in the factories every day.
The association that brings together local terminals (ADEFA) met about ten days ago with the union leader to discuss the seriousness of the situation. At that meeting, he decided to send a note to the government to insist on the claims they had been making. As he had anticipated Ambit, the automakers appealed to the management of the SMATA union in order to have an official response. Pignanelli is a leader who has a very good relationship with the government.
From the beginning of the current Kirchner administration, he maintained his support for the ruling party, both with the president Alberto Fernandez as with the vice Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. This relationship also extends to the current Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa. So much so that the official was present, in recent times, in various announcements in the automotive sector accompanied by Pignanelli.
ADEFA bet on this close link to find a solution, through the union, to the urgent problems it has today. The most pressing was that the local auto parts manufacturers could not pay their foreign suppliers because the SIRAS approvals were issued without a date.
By not having a certain term for the Central Bank to release the dollars at the official exchange rate to turn abroad, local auto parts manufacturers cannot guarantee their suppliers when they would be able to pay for the purchases made. This causes foreign companies to start putting obstacles to sending merchandise or, directly, communicating that shipments were cut off.
Source: Ambito
