Spain’s SEAT Expands Production in Algeria

MADRID – Spanish automaker SEAT launches assembly of Arona and Leon models in Relizane, Algeria, a city located 175 miles (280 km) southwest of Algiers, the capital of the North African country.

The year-old plant is owned by SEAT parent Volkswagen Group and SOVAC, the German automaker’s importer in Algeria. Both models now are on sale through SEAT dealerships in Algeria alongside the Ibiza, the first model assembled at Relizane from completely knocked-down kits prepared at the automaker’s plant in Martorell, Spain.

SEAT says Algeria, where it is the fourth best-selling brand, is one of the key drivers of the automaker’s surge in global sales in first-half 2018. SEAT reports record sales of 289,900 cars in the period, up 17.6% from 246,500 in like-2017.

The global result is reflected in the Martorell plant enjoying one of the best first-half periods in its history. With 283,312 vehicles manufactured, production climbed 20.6% compared to the first six months of 2017 and the plant ran at 95% of capacity, equivalent to 2,300 cars daily.

In the second half of this year, the Audi A1 will replace the Audi Q3 on Martorell’s No.3 assembly line, which is expected to be at full capacity by year-end.