SEAT has been recognised by the ABC daily and the Barcelona Zona Franca Consortium as Spain’s largest industrial export company. SEAT President Luca de Meo accepted the award today at a ceremony held in Madrid which was attended by Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto; Zona Franca Consortium special Government delegate Pere Navarro and ABC editor Catalina Luca de Tena.
SEAT has established itself as Spain’s largest industrial company; it accounts for 3% of the country’s total exports and is present in more than 80 countries on all five continents. Today the company exports 80% of its vehicles and last year chalked up its sixth straight sales record with 517,000 vehicle deliveries. Germany, the United Kingdom, Austria and Switzerland, besides Spain, were the main European markets that contributed to these results.
Upon receiving the award, Luca de Meo underscored that “SEAT is currently one of the fastest growing brands in Europe, our major catalyst for development, and we are now also focussed outside the Union’s borders. The trust placed in us by the Volkswagen Group to carry out strategic projects such as North Africa and China is the best example. This award recognising SEAT demonstrates that we are on the right track, we’re competitive and we create value.”
Within its globalisation strategy, SEAT has consolidated its position as the Volkswagen Group company that is responsible for leading the strategy in North Africa. The Ibiza, Arona, Leon and Ateca models are now being assembled in the Relizane plant in Algeria, and sales in the Algerian market have nearly quadrupled compared to 2017. China is also a key element in this regard, since, as emphasised by de Meo, “SEAT’s presence in China through the new JAC Volkswagen joint venture is a decisive step in our strategy towards electrification and for the development of the electric vehicle in the country. Today SEAT is more international than ever.”
During his speech, Luca de Meo also commented on the future of the automotive industry: “We are going to be mobility providers and that will have a direct impact on our business models, including foreign trade. The future not only holds vehicle exports; we must also be prepared for exporting services, technology and talent.”
In this context, the President of SEAT appealed to businesses, public entities, financial institutions and social agents to work together and think in terms of the future. “It is essential that we respect and maintain technological neutrality on the path towards the zero emissions vehicle. We must have a stable framework and clear goals that enable us to ensure a smooth, progressive transition in order to determine which is the most technically feasible way to achieve them”, pointed out de Meo.
SOURCE: SEAT
