When the uncertainty that was experienced with Seat's investment is still in the air, a new front has been opened that questions the management of the Perte of the automotive industry. The so-called Nissan hub negotiates guarantees against the clock in order to receive the 107.8 million assigned by Perte.
The Ministry of Industry does not accept the endorsement of the Institut Català de Finances (ICF), because Perte's regulations do not allow it. Given the risk of failure, the term for submitting the guarantee has been extended for seven days, which expired next Tuesday.
If a solution is not reached, the first industrial project agreed to replace Nissan in the Free Zone would fail. And also the third most relevant project of Perte, by the amount of aid, after those of Seat and Mercedes. Quite a blow for a program that has only managed to allocate 30% of the planned aid.
The argument of the Ministry of Industry is that it cannot admit the endorsement of the ICF because "there would be duplication in State aid" and Brussels would not admit that. For this reason, in the bases of Perte itself (strategic plan for economic recovery and transformation) it is established that the guarantees must come from a bank. A condition that does not have the ICF. Yesterday the Minister of Economy, Natàlia Mas, once again demanded the granting of a bank card for the ICF. Mas described the ICF as a "Government tool" and assured that if it were provided with a bank card it would be a "remarkable stimulus for economic activity." However, sources from the Bank of Spain confirmed the denial and considered the matter closed.
In any case, the hub is negotiating alternatives to replace the guarantee of 40 million that has already been approved by the Executive Council of the Generalitat.
The hub, led by QEV and Btech, plans to manufacture different types of electric vehicles in the Free Trade Zone and, in principle, will also have the old Nissan Montcada plant. From the outset, it proposes an investment of 300 million and ensures that it could relocate up to 1,000 Nissan employees (about 1,400 are pending).
In business media, including the UPM and Foment del Treball, however, it is highlighted that if the hub initiative fails there is a plausible alternative: the investment of the Chinese company Chery. Its managers are preparing a visit to Foment and the Generalitat for the end of the month. His interest would be to settle in the old Nissan and later build a larger factory.
