On Thursday, July 25, Foreign Minister Diana Mondino and the Secretary for International Economic Trade Relations, Ambassador Marcelo Cima, met with representatives of the Association of Automotive Manufacturers of Argentina (ADEFA). The ADEFA delegation was led by its president, Martín Zuppi, its vice president, Martín Galeano, and its executive director, Fernando Rodríguez Canedo.
ADEFA representatives referred to the significant characteristics of the sector, in particular the importance of the automotive industry given its representativeness and impact on the economic and social development of the country, and mentioned the challenges of the export market and the importance of working together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to increase export levels. In this context, they highlighted the relevance of the ongoing trade negotiations as wekk as the access to new export markets.
ADEFA brings together thirteen automotive terminals that make automobiles, light and heavy utility vehicles in Argentina; transmission components, gearboxes and engines. Its partners are: FCA Argentina S.A., Ford Argentina S.C.A., General Motors de Argentina S.R.L., Honda Motor de Argentina S.A., Iveco Argentina S.A., Mercedes-Benz Argentina S.A., Mercedes-Benz Camiones y Buses S.A.U.; Nissan Argentina S.A.; PSA Peugeot Citroën Argentina S.A., Renault Argentina S.A., Scania Argentina S.A., Toyota Argentina S.A. y Volkswagen Argentina S.A.
The automotive sector employs more than 592,000 workers and includes 5,000 supplier companies, 3,712 of which are MSMEs. It also represents 8.3% of industrial GDP and 14% of total exports to the world. Argentina ranks 4th worldwide in the production of pick-ups, such as the Toyota Hilux, manufactured at the Japanese company's plant in Zárate.
