An import company, but also an industrial project that looks at abandoned factories between Grugliasco, the North East and Irisbus’s Irpinia. The alliance plan with Chinese automotive manufacturers of Dongfeng Motors is taking shape – those who are reportedly negotiating with the government to produce 100 thousand cars in Italy – on which the consultant Bruno Giovanni Mafrici is working, supported by his colleague Giorgio Ratto, who he convinced to participate in the Paolo Berlusconi also projects.
The society
We start from Df Italia, a limited company established in Milan which has 90% of Mafrici and Ratto as majority shareholders with their Car Mobility, owned through Tailor Finance and the remaining 10% by Silvio Berlusconi’s younger brother Pbf. The import contracts are in the hands of Car Mobility, but within two weeks they should pass to Df Italia. «I am participating with my Car Mobility with 10 million of capital – reveals Mafrici, consultant already for Dongfeng at a global level –, we think that the Chinese shareholding could initially be at 20% and my share remain with a majority of 55-52 % and probably welcome 4 Italian macrodealers with 5% each”. Among these there could be Alberto Di Tanno’s Turin-based Intergea. All with the support of the financial solutions of CA Auto Bank (Credit Agricole group). The idea is to market in Italy the brands of the Chinese carmaker Mhero, Nami, Dongfeng and Voyah, the latter presented by Df at the last Salone del Mobile.
Also production, not just imports
«Given that the Chinese have entered the automotive world in a powerful way and given that the government is trying to bring a new manufacturer to Italy, we are trying to understand how to position ourselves and evaluate, using the Pnrr, whether we can one day take over a factory decommissioned. Our project continues regardless of Stellantis”, adds Mafrici. It would therefore be a more industrial company name that would be added to the starting one.
Italian supply chain
«Initially it would be an assembly factory, which respects the indications of 35% of Italian components – continues the entrepreneur -. We have had many expressions of interest, we look at the capacity and cost of work: we could opt for the Flumeri plant, which we would share with Industria Italia Autobus, but we are also looking at the former Maserati in Grugliasco. We are consulting with government technicians.” But who could lead this initiative? The name of Alfredo Altavilla, former EMEA manager of Fiat Chrysler under Sergio Marchionne, would be brought into play. But the top manager, interviewed by Corriere della Serahe denies.
Controversy with the government
The project comes at the height of the controversy between Business Minister Adolfo Urso and the main Italian carmaker, Stellantis. It’s no mystery that the Meloni executive is trying to attract a second car manufacturer in Italy and is encouraging the former Fiat to produce a million vehicles a year to saturate its plants, which are now increasingly affected by layoffs. Two days ago the news of the closure of Mirafiori for the entire month of May. There are few market requests for the electric 500. It had leaked from Stellantis that the factory stop was due to the government’s failure to activate incentives. The Dongfeng hypothesis, 2.88 million cars produced in 2023, would materialize after contacts between Rome and the other Chinese companies BYD and Chery failed to materialise. «Introducing Chinese competition is a big threat to Stellantis. We will fight, but when we fight there can be victims”, warned CEO Carlos Tavares.
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