Volkswagen Argentina announced this Wednesday an investment of US$ 250 million over the next five years and the incorporation of 400 new jobs, which will be allocated to the renovation of the Amarok pick-up that is produced at the General Pacheco Plant, the beginning of the assembly of Ducati motorcycles in Córdoba and a parts location project for the Taos model.
This is how he presented himself this midday in an act carried out in his Industrial Center of the Buenos Aires town of General Pacheco with the presence of the Secretary of Industry, Ariel Schale; the Argentine ambassador in Brazil, Daniel Scioli; the German ambassador to Argentina, Ulrich Sante; the Mayor of Tigre, Julio Zamora, and the Deputy Secretary General of SMATA, Mario Manrique.
The officials were received by Pablo Di Si, Executive Chairman of Volkswagen Latin America, and Thomas Owsianski, President and CEO of Volkswagen Argentina.
The project had already been anticipated by the directors of the firm to President Alberto Fernández at the meeting they held at Government House on March 10.
In the meeting at the General Pacheco plant, it was reported that the company in recent years “has invested in Argentina more than US $ 1,000 millionwhich allowed the modernization of technology and infrastructure of its production plants and a new painting plant with unique technology in the country”.
These resources were allocated by Volkswagen to “the modernization of its two industrial centers in Argentina and the renewal of its products, with a clear focus on export“, which allows the export of finished vehicles and gearboxes from various terminals of the group in the world.
The investment announced this Wednesday is in line with Volkswagen’s transformation process with investments of more than US$ 1,200 million for the region between 2022 and 2026 that will boost digitization and decarbonization in South America.
Owsianski reviewed the realization of different projects in the country, such as the modernization of infrastructure and technology in industrial centers, the production and export of the new MQ281 gearbox in Córdoba. He also highlighted the new painting plant with unique technology in the country, the start of production and export of the new Taos SUV in Pacheco and the new Fátima Logistics Center”.
Pablo Di Si was in charge of detailing the current investment of US$ 250 million and the incorporation of 400 employees for the development of what he called “three emblematic projects” for the brand in the country.
The director pointed out that Argentina “is an important pillar” for the company and that with this new investment it will continue “strengthening the brand in the region, with models that are increasingly adapted to the needs of our customers.”
With this new investment, also the Amarok pick up will present changes in its design, safety and technology, after more than 10 years of production at the Pacheco Industrial Center, having been selected from among 60 production plants in the world to manufacture the first pickup of the VW Group globally. “Currently, More than 600,000 Amaroks have already been manufactured being the model with the largest number of units produced in Pacheco,” the company specified.
The industrial plant also will have the first hot rolling facility that an automotive terminal incorporates in Argentinawhich allows greater flexibility in the production process and more innovative products.
Regarding motorcycles, Di Si announced that The Ducati Scrambler Icon model will start production at the end of 2022 to supply the local market. “Beginning the assembly of Ducati motorcycles in Córdoba is a great joy, since Volkswagen Group Argentina will be the first VW Group subsidiary in the world to do so outside of Italy“, he added about the productive arrival of the emblematic motorcycle brand.
Finally, the third project contemplated in the investment refers to the decision to continue nationalizing the pieces of the terminal’s products.
“More than 200 parts from Mexico, Germany, and Brazil will be produced at the Volkswagen plant or in the supply chain,” said Di SI, understanding that this development “is going to radiate throughout Argentina.”
