Mechanical workshops are having their own special August, and it couldn’t be said better. The aging of the vehicle fleet, caused by the blockade on production during the pandemic and the current price increases, causes many drivers to be unable to buy new vehicles. occurs as a result of the occurrence of more malfunctions. The increased use of vehicles during the holiday period is another factor that increases the business volume, and the difficulties in finding specialist personnel should be added to this.
The subject comes from afar. The shortage of microchips and other components, brought about by the disruption of supply chains during the coronavirus pandemic, has virtually led to a trickle down of vehicle manufacturing, resulting in a collapse in sales. The situation has tended to improve in recent months, as evidenced by the sales of 26,865 vehicles in the province between January and July, an increase of 28% compared to the same period of the previous year. Nevertheless, figures are still 30% below pre-health crisis numbersSo there is still a long way to go.
Beyond the relative normalization in the production rate, the rise in new car prices as a result of rising costs for both energy and materials also has a deterrent effect on drivers, most of whom choose to drive. continue with their old vehicles or resort to the used market, which has seen a 2.4% increase in sales so far this year.
Raúl Morales, Communications Director of the automotive dealers association Faconauto, points out that the renewal of the fleets of “rental car” companies has led to the entry of cars under five years old into the car market. it falls short of mitigating the aging of the vehicle fleet that has recently registered. An example of this is Four out of ten used cars sold are still over 15 years old.
Thus, the combination of all these factors caused more malfunctions to occur, and the business of mechanical workshops in the province grew exponentially to nearly overflowing, about 1,100. Guillermo Moreno, president of the Alicante (Atayapa) State Automobile Shops and Relatives Entrepreneurs Association, said, “The problem with cars is very similar to the problem with housing. Prices have increased and loans are also more expensive, so people prefer to go with their regular car “I’m waiting for better times to come,” he said. This means an increase in repairs due to the increasing age of vehicles. “It affects everything he mentions, from mechanics to electrical, as well as sheet metal and paint. Everything is getting worse.”
And customer behavior has also changed dramatically. According to Moreno, “before there were people who chose to buy a new car outright when they needed to face a more or less expensive repairlike a clutch change. However, this is no longer happening at the moment ».
Anyway, the head of the mechanical workshops does not want to throw the bells at once, because he emphasizes that “I have already seen all the colors”. In his words, “these are saw teeth. We are committed to many issues and In a few months, we may see banks start to offer people to change their cars.and overnight we woke up to a completely different scenario than we have today ».
In any case, and whether these offers come or not, the workshops practically do not cope with it. And also since all of the above coincide with the holiday season, a time when the study of mechanics increased significantly. This has been expressed by Alejandro Rico, director of the workshop of the same name and Citroën dealer in Alicante, and historically, business doubled in July and Augustor “because the drivers here want to get their cars ready for vacation, and those coming from abroad join them and they can break down.”
However, this year, there is an additional bonus due to the special situation in the industry.
even though it’s true The business volume is higher in coastal areas where tourism is concentrated. In these months, there is a remarkable activity in some of the workshops inside. This is acknowledged by José Mora, manager of Talleres Viaducto in Alcoy, noting that most of the duties are requested by drivers going on vacation and not wanting to encounter unpleasant surprises during the journey.
lack of staff
Another factor contributing to saturation is that, according to calculations published at the time, the industry about a thousand mechanics would be needed to meet the demand of the workshops in the province..
Guillermo Moreno, president of Atayapa, states that the problem lies in the fact that: no one is prepared for the latest technological advances in the automobile, especially for electric vehicles. “600 is over. You have to prepare for the new cars, because they have nothing to do with the previous ones and there is also an investment in machinery,” he emphasizes.
The problem is primarily concentrated in workshops located on the coast, where there is more competition in terms of employment, especially in the tourism, accommodation or construction sectors. “The salaries—he explains—are not very high, so they go from one dedication to the next. with everything, The problem arose at the worst of the shutdown, when people had to be dispensed with after looking for a life in other industries and not returning.». But indoors, the situation is different, as Moreno puts it, “the children are starting internships and have already spent 30 years in the workshop. The truth is that we are facing a serious challenge for which we cannot find a solution at the moment.
Despite everything, the industry is making an effort to combat this situation and for this, training activities are supported by the Alicante State Metal Entrepreneurs Federation (Fempa) and the workshops themselves cooperate with the Training Specialist (FP). ) continues.
The turnover of the automotive spare parts sector is growing at the same rate as the repairs made in the workshops. In particular, sales increased by 12% for manufacturers and 15% for distributors in the first half of the year, and this is expected to continue with a positive dynamic throughout the year, but this Yes, with less intensity.
Benito Tesier, Chairman of the Spare Parts Commission of the Spanish Association of Automotive Suppliers (Sernauto), underlines the good performance of sales, although he noted that “there are strong differences between companies and many continue to make great efforts to remain competitive”. “. . Nines García, president of the National Association of Automotive Dealers, Equipment, Spare Parts, Tires, and Accessories (Ancera), states that the trend for the industry is positive, “though not forgetting – he adds – data for this first half of the year have been marked by inflation. The figure will be more moderate from now on.