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The global shortage of semiconductors has allowed automakers to focus their production on models with higher profit margins. This is true for everyone, but especially for those in the premium segment. In the case of Mercedes-Benz, these reached 12.7%, above the forecasts of 10% that had been set.
This is shown by the preliminary figures for the 2021 financial year —the consolidated figures will be published on February 24—, in which, despite reducing its global registrations by 5% to 2.05 million units, the brand of the Estrella expects its operating profit to reach 14,000 million euros, 105.9% more than the 6,800 million it reached in 2020.
A large part of these exceptional results are due to the positive impact that the spin-off of its truck division, Daimler Truck, will have at the end of 2021. Specifically, they estimate that it will have brought about operating profits of between 9,000 and 10,000 million.
Now, Mercedes-Benz – as the passenger car and light commercial division has been called since the beginning of February – also underlined the good effect it had on its income statement «a solid pricing policy, a good product mix and the performance of used vehicles».
Your CEO, Ola Källenius, has repeatedly stated that one of its objectives is to increase the unit margins of its vehicles, instead of focusing on the volume of registrations. “Our focus on offering an attractive range coupled with strict cost discipline translated into strong financial performance.”
Vitoria, without ERTE
The deadline to negotiate the conditions of the ERTE at the Mercedes-Benz Basque plant, where light commercials are produced, ended on the 4th, the company’s management extended it two more business days, until the 8th. Even despite this, there was no agreement.
The majority alternative proposed by the unions was complement up to 80% of the gross salary, with vacations and 100% extra paywhich implied conditions similar to those of the 2021 temporary file, with improvements for night shift operators.
Now, since there is no agreement, the 4,669 affected workers will spend 30 days of the first semester without receiving compensation from Mercedes-Benz. The labor representatives consulted by ABC affirmed that next week they will begin the negotiation of their new collective agreement.