The CEO of Stellantis, Carlos Tavaresis expected on Tuesday 4 June 2024 in Melfi in the factory of the Franco-Italian group inherited from Fiat. It’s about a strategic visit at the end of which the Portuguese manager should clarify the situation better future of the plant after the words spoken the other week in Mirafiori, when he announced that the new one will be produced in Melfi Hybrid Jeep Compass. The unions of the sector confidently await the arrival of Tavares to erase all doubts about the fate of the Lucanian factorywhich over the years has undergone a significant reduction in production and employment levels, going from the 5,000 units reached immediately after the 2014 relaunch to the current workforce of around 3,600 people employed only on two shifts.
TAVARES IN MELFI: THE DAY’S PROGRAM AND POSSIBLE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tavares is expected to arrive in the morning to meet with the secretaries of the metalworkers’ unions of the territory. Then in the afternoon the CEO of Stellantis will see the president of the Basilicata Region, Vito Bardiand for the occasion the Minister of Business and Made in Italy could also be there, Adolfo Urso. The Italian Government and the company’s top management, after several months of glaring at each other, could therefore define in Melfi not only the industrial plan which concerns all the Italian Stellantis factories, but above all the details which concern the Lucanian factory and, consequently, the related companies, especially in view of the orders that will have to be assigned.
THE STELLANTIS PLAN FOR MELFI: 5 NEW CARS BETWEEN 2025 AND 2026
At the moment, if there are no changes, the plan for Melfi expects the production of in the coming years, between 2025 and 2026 5 new cars all on the STLA Medium platform, including the aforementioned hybrid Jeep Compass, another Jeep but electric and three other cars on tap: two DS Automobiles models (one will be the DS8) and the new Lancia Gamma.
It might seem like a lot of stuff but it doesn’t convince the unions 4 out of 5 cars are full electric: so far the electric has not had encouraging numbers in terms of sales, and consequently they fear that the production volume he won’t be able to to satisfy the performance and employment needs of the plant (as with the electric 500 at Mirafiori). For this reason they ask that in Melfi it be produced, together with Compass, at least one other more successful model on the markets. One of the hottest moments of the meeting with Tavares will probably be this.
THE REQUESTS OF THE UNIONS IN TAVARES
“We expect that they will try to saturate the establishment with hybrid cars“, he confirmed Marco Lomioregional secretary of Uilm, in view of the meeting on 4 June, while Giorgia Calamita, of the general secretariat of Fiom Cgil Basilicata, said that Tavares will be asked for more clarity on the industrial plan, on the models to be produced and on the volumes. “You will have to explain to us better the program announced on May 27th on the new Compass“, he added Pasquale Capocasale, general secretary of Fismic. “and we will ask for something else for the Melfi plant because we believe one is needed further effort for the Lucanian factory, also and above all to help the related industries”. A perspective for the Lucanian automotive sector, which according to the local Fim Cisl is also linked to process of conversion to electric which must be supported by shared and participatory collaboration between Stellantis, the Government and the union: “Only in this way will we be able to reach the goal of one million vehicles produced in Italy by 2030. The Melfi site could contribute substantially to this goal, but there is still a lot to do“.
