Overview
- SAIC announced this week that it has selected Ferrol and As Pontes for a European production base with an initial investment figure of about €200 million, a stated first-phase workforce of roughly 2,300 and an annual capacity cited up to 120,000 vehicles.
- Multiple sector sources and reporting say the operation will likely be a CKD/SKD final-assembly hub that imports mostly disassembled kits from China and performs local assembly, which would limit on-site stamping, painting and heavy component manufacturing.
- One stated driver for locating production in Europe is to avoid high EU import tariffs reported at about 45.3% for some SAIC imports, but that strategy increases scrutiny over the true level of local content and the claim of ‘made in Europe’ vehicles.
- Regional industry groups and the metal employers’ association welcome the investment yet demand concrete guarantees for supplier contracts, training and R&D so the project creates real opportunities for Galician firms and does not simply use local land and ports.
- The announcement has already reached the Galician Parliament, where opposition and the Xunta pressed for timely administrative approvals, commercial negotiations over port and supplier arrangements, and proof the project will deliver lasting local industrial value; next steps are permitting and detailed supplier talks.