After more than just one American announcement this week, the question was asked:”What about the Italian factories?” Especially the minister of employment waits eagerly for an answer by Fiat.

Fiat Group Automobiles states that it will adjust the production scheme to the demand as often as needed for the upcoming year. They were clear in their statement that no factory will be closed or is at risk for closure. The production capacity is large (approximately 800,000 cars), but factories stay open, mainly focused on the future. Sharing production capacities with manufacturers like Mazda or Suzuki is one of the possibilities, this will save development costs for specific models. If there would be a factory which could be reorganised, then it would be Mirafiori, the large production facility located in Turin. The assembly line of the new Fiat 500X has to be built at this location and this will take up to 12 months.

Large investments are postponed, so the reorganisation of Pomigliano d’Arco is the last for now. Cassino and Melfi are at no risk at all, this is of course linked to the WCM principle which is implemented at these modern factories and also because these locations had an investment just recently and are much to important for Fiat.