ROME. «We want to go back to producing a million vehicles a year with those who really want to invest in historic Italian excellence. If you want to sell a car on the international market by advertising it as an Italian jewel, then that car must be produced in Italy, this is the question we must ask.” The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, said this at question time in the Chamber. Meloni cites “the Fiat group and related Italian brands” which “represent a very important part of the national industrial history, in terms of employment and wealth produced”. An economic heritage – she says – «that deserves the utmost attention, and this also means having the courage to criticize some choices of the management and the group when they were distant from the Italian interest, as I happened to do, often in indifference general”. Whoever relocates her – she announces – will be penalized by the government.
Tavares: “Another producer in Italy? Ready to fight. On incentives lost 9 months” by our correspondent Leonardo Di Paco 23 January 2024
Meloni cites “the moving of the legal and fiscal headquarters outside Italy or the merger that concealed a French acquisition of the historic Italian group: so much so that today a member of the French government sits on the FCA board of directors.” «It is no coincidence – he continues – that the group’s industrial choices take French demands more into consideration than Italian ones».
Urso and the future of the car: “We are working to have a second car company” 19 January 2024
«As always, we want to defend the national interest – he says in response to a question on the Government’s initiatives to relaunch the sector – to clearly establish a balanced relationship with Stellantis. To defend production in Italy, Minister Urso has repeatedly met with employment levels and the automotive industry.” The objective, concludes the Prime Minister, must be «to return to producing at least one million vehicles a year in Italy with those who really want to invest in historic Italian excellence. If you want to sell a car on the world market by advertising it as an Italian jewel, that car must be produced in Italy. These are the rules with the current Government and they apply to everyone.”
The company’s response was not long in coming. «Stellantis is strongly committed to Italy and has done so in recent years. The company has invested several billion euros in its Italian operations for new products and production sites.” This was underlined by a spokesperson for Stellantis Italia.
Stellantis numbers in Italy
Going to see all the group’s factories in Italy, it is indicated that the Melfi site (which exports 53% of its production) «will become the production center for medium-sized electric cars – STLA Medium», while the Cassino one (export at 75%) «it will specialize in the large electric car segment. – STLA Large». As regards the Termoli plant, a “fundamental reconversion is underway: from the production of thermal engines to a European gigafactory” by Acc, the joint venture between Stellantis, TotalEnergies and Mercedes-Benz which involves an investment of 2.1 billion EUR. The Pratola Serra plant will strengthen its ability to supply the B2.2 engine to cover the total needs of Stellantis, when Pomigliano (exports at 41%) has seen the arrival of a particularly competitive product such as the Alfa Romeo Tonale and the Dodge Hornet for the US market and the Panda continues to be a winning model, especially thanks to the hybrid version.”
The Atessa site (85% export) «produces the majority of our large vans (for Fiat Professional, Citroen, Peugeot Opel, Vauxhall and Toyota), in which we are leaders in wider Europe. Atessa is the largest site in the world for the supply of the Camping car segment, where the Fiat brand is among the leaders with a 30% market share in Europe (2023)”. Looking at the Maserati brand, the Modena plant (92% export) has «the production of the MC20 and this year a new painting department called “FuoriSerie” will be created, dedicated to the customization of the Trident models». And again the Cento site «has an important business unit dedicated to the production of industrial and marine engines», while as regards Mirafiori in Turin (exports at 93%), the site has the production of 500e (Fiat and Abarth) , production of Maserati Levante, GranTurismo and GranCabrio, Battery Technology Center, The Circular Economy Hub, the eDCT plant for the production of electric transmissions, thanks to our joint venture with Punch Powertrain. The new plant will be operational this year. The grEEn Campus is a new concrete application of the New Era of Agility in support of the Carbon Net Zero objectives”.
And from the opposition benches also came the attack on the prime minister by the Dem secretary Elly Schlein who says about Meloni: «More than governing, she discharges responsibility. He was minister when the healthcare ceiling was set in 2009.” And he points out: «Madam President, explain something to me: did you go into government to solve the problems of Italians or to shift responsibility onto others?» Schlein said in the reply after Prime Minister Meloni’s response to the Dem’s question on healthcare at Prime Time, in which an extraordinary hiring plan in healthcare was requested. “The hiring cap,” she then added, “was introduced in 2009, you were in government and specifically you created the problem.”