The Stellantis group’s Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza, once again, resumes its production rhythm after a scheduled holiday break. As the new work year begins, the Aragon facility launches back into full operation, with more than 5,000 employees returning to the line this Monday following the usual three‑week pause that ended on August 1. Some teams were already back on duty, including the night shift that started at 10 p.m. this Sunday.
This restart marks the quietest return to activity in recent memory. The factory’s operations were shaped in the past by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing semiconductor shortages. Today, concerns about chip availability have eased considerably. The global automotive sector faced significant production halts due to insufficient electronic components, but the latest conditions at Figueruelas point to a smoother path forward.
We are hopeful that normalcy will return to pre-pandemic levels observed in 2018 and 2019, noted Rubén Alonso, head of the plant works council. He added that supply issues have largely been resolved and that the company has indicated operations will proceed normally.
Management has already scheduled two productive Saturdays for August 26 and September 2, in addition to the upcoming night shift next Friday.
Two new electric cars
The current growth phase at Figueruelas is not ending. The plant is aligning with new group initiatives, including the mass production of the Peugeot 208 in electric and hybrid variants this fall. In addition, the Lancia Ypsilon will enter series production beginning next spring as a complementary model.
The facility has been advancing the pre-production of these vehicles and has taken significant steps in its electrification journey, building on experience from the Corsa-e project, which has been assembled at the site for the past three years.
Rubén Alonso emphasizes that the plant’s current status contrasts sharply with the uncertainty of recent years. He praised the collective agreement recently reached between the company and the majority of the works council, which is seen as securing the plant’s future beyond 2030. To support this transformation, Figueruelas will participate in the second round of Perte VEC (electric vehicle and affiliated) funding, a program recently launched with a government contribution of 559 million euros dedicated to accelerating electrification.