The output of the Automobile Dacia in Mioveni increased by 4% to 134,000 units in the first five months of the year because of the 4% increase in exports to 122,500 cars, while sales on the local market fell 14% according to the statistics of the Association of Automotive Manufacturers and Importers (APIA).
However, the management of the Renault-held company decided to halt production for the second time in 2012, though for three days instead of two as in March. This is nothing new, as the plant in Mioveni did not make any cars for two weeks in first half of last year.
However, certain things show that the production and export structure has changed a great deal over the past year.
The increase in Dacia’s exports in the first five months came at a time when the carmaker saw car registrations down 8% to 98,400, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). The rest up to the total export volume (122,500) shows that as the European market contracted (7% decline in January-May), the exports to non-EU destinations increased.
As the production of the Duster SUV, Dacia’s best seller in Europe for the last two years fell by almost 8% in the first five months, and exports went down by more than 11%, production of the Euro 4 1.4 liter 75 CP engine Logan doubled.
After the enforcement of the new pollution regulations, Dacia stopped selling the the 1.4 liter engine, which was not adjusted to the new standards so that it will be sold only on markets outside the EU, which have not introduced the Euro 5 pollution regulations.
However, demand from outside the European Union cannot compensate for the decline of the EU market for now hence Dacia’s timeout on June 18, 19 and July 2.
The vehicle market went down 12% in the first five months of the year, according to APIA statistics, to almost 34,500 units. Sales of cars fell 11.9% to almost 29,000 units. Car sales in May were 12% lower than in the year-ago period, reaching 8,500 units. May was the third month of decline on the Romanian market in a row.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)