The project involves the incorporation of around 150 workers, currently in the training process, and plans to recover up to 1,250 jobs.
This Friday, Chery and Ebro signed the agreement to produce 50,000 vehicles per year in 2027 on the former lands of the Nissan company in the Barcelona Free Trade Zone, and they plan to reach 150,000 in 2029.
It was ratified by Ebro’s chief executive, Pedro Calef, and Chery’s international vice-president, Guibing Zhang, in an event attended by the president of the government, Pedro Sánchez; the president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès; the vice governor of the Chinese province of Anhui, Shan Xiangqian; Minister Jordi Hereu and Councilor Roger Torrent, among others.
The project initially involves the incorporation of about 150 workers, currently in the training process, although it plans to recover up to 1,250 jobs: in this way, the reindustrialization process of the plant, which began in December 2021, is closed. Nissan abandoned the facilities.
Zhang opined that the agreement between Chery and Ebro “not only represents a partnership between the two companies, but also a strategic cooperation between two countries,” and has expressed his willingness to participate in the well-being of local citizens and the environment.
Calef has highlighted that “Chery and Ebro’s commitment to this factory is total” and has thanked the administrations, social agents and workers for their involvement in the negotiations for the reindustrialization of the facilities.
He said that the creation of a joint venture by both companies seals “a new moment” for Europe, being the first on the continent in which a Chinese automobile company participates.
PRODUCTION PHASES
Zhang explained that they hope to become “one of Chery’s main export bases worldwide”, although he said that first they must establish an industrial park for vehicles and components in the Free Zone, something they plan to do gradually. while Calef has announced that they will study the construction of an R&D center at the end of the year.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, they will begin production of Chery’s Omoda 5 models (the brand’s first electric and a combustion one), to continue at the end of the year with two Ebro SUV models (one in the mid-segment and another in medium-high), under a shared platform and technology with Chery.
The start of production will be organized in two phases to accelerate it: initially they will be assembled in the factory, so that in the “near future” the factory will also host the welding, painting and assembly processes, for which the companies plan to incorporate suppliers local.
For distribution, there will be a network of dealers, which at the time of launch will have 30 points of sale, and the after-sales facilities necessary to guarantee the service.
