The Year of Vehicle Contracts’ Dead End
It was last year when Mansour Moazami, chairman of the board of IDRO announced the signing of 5 vehicle contract in the next year, but maybe no one even himself would thought that this prediction won’t happen.
Khodrocar – the news of 5 vehicle contract was repeated for several times by the chairman of IDRO, in addition last year, Mohsen Salehi Nia, deputy of Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade in industrial affairs, said that contracts of Saipa-Citroen and Renault – IDRO will start in next year and he talked about the contract of Benz – IKCO. However, if we have a look at last year, then we find out none of them happened and postponed.
The end of Renault – IDRO contract dead end
The contract of Renault and IDRO was promised to be executed at the beginning of the year, but it was signed with 5 month delay, but it wasn’t the end and the contract faced a dead end when the Iranian side couldn’t make its promises. The solution of this contract postponed from one month to another, but at last in Esfand (Iranian calendar) it was decided to give the Bonro construction site to this contract and the time of execution was postponed to next year.
Mercedes Benz stars just for heavy vehicles
The second contract which was said to be signed was between Benz and IKCO for producing heavy and light vehicles. The MOU of this contract was wrote few weeks after the JCPOA but this contract had the destiny of Renault and after several delays and postponed the contract executed in the September – October only in commercial vehicles section.
The shadow of Saipa – Citroen contract
The contract of Kashan Saipa and Citroen was challenged too. When the IKCO started the production with pageant no one would think that Citroen couldn’t start the production. And now it is postponed to next year.
According to the deputy of minister Citroen was promised to be launched in April and May of 2017 but it didn’t have any advantages except attending some exhibitions and because of that Salehi Nia said that the production will start in April and May of next year and it is postponed again.
Volkswagen feared from Iran’s market
The most important vehicle contract of the year was banished because of wrong policies of the ministry. While Mammut was talking to the Volkswagen to sign a production contract, the German side feared of the sudden laws in Iran such as policies of vehicle importation and pulled out of the contract and just gave the permission for importing. This situation was beneficial for Mammut to sell its products with higher prices, but it is a sad truth, the governmental policies are not working very well and they just fear investors instead of encouraging them to come.
The 1396(Iranian calendar) was the dead end of all vehicle contracts. However, automakers such as Bahman group signed a contract and started the contract with Haval also Kerman motors started the production of Hyundai models but none of the governmental promises happened. We have to wait and see what will happen to these contracts.
Khodrocar Reporter: Asal Dadashloo
Khodrocar Translator: Amin Zamani