Romanian Car Mkr Dacia Drops 620 Temps, Halts Production Until January 11, ‘09

Due to lower demand, both locally and in the states where Dacia exports cars, activity at the Mioveni plant was ceased on October 30 and 31, on November 13 and 14, as well as between November 20 and December 7.

 

Dacia resumed work Monday but production will once again be ceased on December 11, until January 11, 2009.

 

Sources close to Dacia recently told MEDIAFAX that the Mioveni plant will cease production on December 11, and activity will be resumed in January.

 

Starting with January 12, 2009, Dacia will reduce its output from 1,360 units to 1,305 cars per day, said a press release issued by the car maker Monday.

 

Dacia sales on the local market lowered 52.3% in November to 4,698 units from 9.850 units, which translates into a record decline for the company.

 

The company’s sales lowered 13.5% in the first eleven months of the year, to 81,097 units, compared with 93,762 units in the same period a year ago, Dacia said.

 

Dacia officials said the widening of the financial and economic crisis and massive used car imports triggered a significant decrease in auto markets, including the Romanian one.

 

The Romanian Government decided on December 4 to increase up to three times the pollution tax for cars on purchases of imported used cars. Moreover, it decided to increase the bonus for the scrapping of used cars.