Vanpro workers in the new seat supplier

There are workers from Vanpro, a car seat supplier for Autoeuropa for over 30 years, which will be able to pass to Brose Sitech company that will develop the seats of the new model that will be produced at the Palmela factory. THE Sunrise It had already advanced that the end of the contract by Volkswagen (VW) in Germany with Vanpro would undermine 475 jobs.

To our newspaper, Daniel Bernardino of the Industrial Park Workers Commission says that this was the solution found after several meetings, saying that « It was possible to achieve an understanding in order to ensure that Vanpro workers, after finishing the bond with the company have a employment perspective. ». However, I did not want to advance how many workers could be ‘saved’ so as not to create false expectations. « We know that the number of workers that Brose Sitech will employ will be less than the number of workers currently at Vanpro, but we wanted priority in terms of recruitment to be given. ».

Still, it admits that the idea is to have meetings with other companies in the industrial park to make a similar agreement or « Find other employment solutions, not only for Vanpro workers but for all workers who run out of work throughout the industrial park».

But this change to the Sitech Brose requires compliance with conditions: «The workers selected in the process of recruiting the Sitech Brose do not lose the right to compensation provided they comply with the expected calendar of Vanpro workers reduction, immediately entering the Brose Sitech, after the end of the contract with Vanpro ». On the other hand, «Workers will have a promise contract on the part of the Sitech Brose before the departure of Vanpro and after the selection of the Sitech Brose and acceptance by the worker»found our newspaper.

Regarding the possibility that Autoeuropa may receive these workers, Daniel Bernardino states that it is a theme that is being equated, but admits that it requires extra care. “At this time, there are Autoeuropa workers who are in the perspective of moving to the company’s staff and we cannot say that they cannot remain in the Palmela factory to enter Vanpro workers. This would be complicated from the social point of view »stresses.

Bet on the new model

As our newspaper has already advanced, Autoeuropa lost the T-Roc model to the Wolfsburg factory in Germany, but won the new model ID.every1. To what the Sunrise It has learned, for many it is seen as the new ‘carocha’, in terms of impact on the brand as it has all the potential to be iconic and fundamental to the brand and whose production was being disputed by the Czech and Slovakian Republic. Source linked to the process recalls that factories are always in competition and earns the most capable, the most competitive to produce the new model. «Cars are not attributed by decree, contrary to what many think and how the Autoeuropa factory produces OO T-ROC thought that it would also make the electric. But things don’t work like this, the car that goes to Autoeuropa was in a contest with several factories and it was a hard competition »stresses.

Source linked to the process also admits that it is an essential car for the brand and the Palmela factory is a model that will democratize access to urban electric mobility, since it is small and presents «A friendly autonomy for the urban circle of 250 to 300 kilometers, hence it is important for the brand and the group». And explains that it is not for Portugal to produce the T-ROC combustion that would have to produce the electric model. «These are completely different platforms and investments. Making an electric car has nothing to do with a combustion car or a hybrid. It would be necessary to make a large investment to it, although the Palmela factory produces the T-ROC », stresses.

The President of the Portuguese Banco de Fomento has already mentioned that it was an intense work that will allow Portugal «Gain an investment of 1,500 million euros. We will gain from this the maintenance of the 4,500 jobs and the expansion up to 1,000. Let’s win with that the survival of what for me is a huge benchmark with over 40 years of success in Portugal, which is Autoeuropa »said in an interview with Business Journal.

It is recalled that Autoeuropa currently has a turnover of about 3.8 billion euros and 4,842 employees. It produced 236,100 units last year, that is, about 4% of national exports and represented 1.3% of the 2023 Gross Domestic Product (GDP).