Auto, the diesel crisis affects 240 companies and 25 thousand workers

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In the factory Fiat Chrysler of Pratola Serra in the first half of 2019 they were produced 150,000 diesel engines, the 30% less compared to the same period in 2018. Repair will take place in 2020, given that the Campania factory has been assigned the production of a new range of Euro6D diesels, to be mounted on the Ducato.

But this industrial story is emblematic of how muchItalian automotive is exposed to risk of decline – market and production – which is investing i diesel engines. Of companies like the Mahle, which in Italy has announced the closure of the two plants in Piedmont specialized in the production of pistons for diesel engines, there may be others.

The Italian supply chain of diesel component suppliers is complex, ranging from foundries, where the main parts of the engine are made, to the producers of single components (valves, filters, etc.): according to the Observatory on automotive components we talk about over 240 companies and at least 32 thousand employees, a number that rises to 50 thousand if we consider the enlarged armature, on average one worker out of three in the entire sector as estimated by Anfia.

Half of them, about 25 thousand people, work on diesel engines, one of the leading products of the Italian automotive sector thanks to common rail skills.
"We are facing a complex and articulated industrial transition," he said Marco Stella, president of the Components Group of Anfia – and the fact that you don't drive it can lead to serious consequences from a social point of view ». There demonization of diesel , "In addition to creating confusion on the market, it has further weakened an already weak demand – adds Stella – and this uncertainty leads many to focus on productive rationalization". The table on the car opened at the Mise becomes more necessary than ever: "We have made a series of proposals – concludes Stella – in support of the technological and industrial transition, we need supply policies to support the activity of individuals in industrial research and tools for reconversion, starting with training and retraining ».

From 2015 to today, the European market of diesel car decreased by 51.5% to 35.4% (2018), to reach 31.5% in the first half of 2019. Gasoline cars have grown to almost 60% of the market while the family of electric and hybrid cars is at 7.7. Many diesel component manufacturers are reacting to the downsizing of diesel by diversifying production and expanding their skills to new engines. Not without delay – 77% of component manufacturers according to the study carried out by the Observatory on automotive components did not participate in any development project in the sector of new powertrains (electric or hybrid) – and difficulties as shown by the case of Mahle. Which unfortunately is not isolated.