Vehicle production increases 8% in the first quarter

Despite the number representing an increase compared to last year, the president of Anfavea, Márcio de Lima Leite, recalls that the first quarter of 2022 was the worst result for the automobile industry since 2004. “We are repeating in 2023 the worst quarter since 2004 ”, said Leite, when comparing production data in 2022 and 2023.

Leite pointed out that, in the analyzed period, there were eight moments of stoppage of factories and two assemblers extinguished production shifts. For him, vehicle production is far below normal, and the high interest rate is the main cause of the slowdown in the industry.

Sales in the first three months of this year grew by 16.3% compared to the same period in 2022, with the registration of 471.8 thousand units. Exports rose 3.9%, with the sale of 112.2 thousand vehicles abroad in the first quarter of 2023.

Cars and trucks

The production of passenger cars increased 9% from January to March compared to the same period last year, with the manufacture of 416.4 thousand units. Sales grew 15.1% in the quarter, with the registration of 346 thousand cars, while exports increased 3.8%, with the sale of 90 thousand cars in the first three months of the year.

Truck manufacturing fell 28.8% in the first quarter of 2023, with the manufacture of 24,500 units. Sales increased by 6.6% in the period, compared to 2022, with the registration of 28.6 thousand units.

Job

The number of people employed in the auto industry has been roughly flat in recent months. According to Anfavea, in January, the assemblers had 102.1 thousand employees and, in March, the index was 101.6 thousand.

According to Márcio Leite, vehicle production is lower than projected for the year, which turned on the “yellow light” in the sector. “The scenario so far is one of observing what is happening with the market,” he said.

However, according to the president of Anfavea, the industry maintains the expectation of growth for the year and is discussing with the federal government measures that can be adopted to support the sector.