Brazilian President Visits Goiana Plant To Kick Off Production Of Rampage Pickup

The Stellantis Automotive Pole in Goiana, Pernambuco, marked a significant milestone earlier this week with an official visit of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The president’s visit celebrated the start of series production of the highly anticipated Rampage pickup, the fifth model to be manufactured at the facility. The event also highlighted the Automotive Pole’s achievement of producing vehicles for three brands: Jeep®, FIAT, and Ram.

President Lula da Silva, accompanied by his entourage, was warmly received by Antonio Filosa, the President of Stellantis for South America, and other high-ranking officials of the company. The president inaugurated the production line, symbolically activating the process of transforming steel plates into components for the new Ram pickup. This groundbreaking model represents the first time a Ram vehicle has been designed, developed, and manufactured outside of North America.

During his visit, President Lula da Silva toured the state-of-the-art facilities of the Automotive Pole, which was established in April 2015. The president had the opportunity to engage with the workers, who applauded his presence and conversed with him on various occasions. He also visited the assembly line, where he saw the upcoming Rampage pickup firsthand before its official market launch later this month.

Filosa, expressed his enthusiasm about the occasion, stating, “This is a special moment for Stellantis because it represents the opportunity to assess what we have accomplished here. In addition to producing successful vehicles, we are actively contributing to the economic and social development of Pernambuco and the Northeast region.” He emphasized the strategic pillars of Stellantis’ presence in Pernambuco: production location, regionalization, and decarbonization.

President Lula da Silva also witnessed the positive social and economic impacts resulting from the establishment of the Automotive Pole in the Zona da Mata Norte region of Pernambuco. Industrial activity generated employment opportunities, improved income levels, and positively affected social indicators such as reducing school dropout rates, infant mortality, and enhancing public safety.

The arrival of the Rampage pickup signifies a significant expansion of the Ram brand’s dealership network, which is set to double in size, surpassing 100 stores in the second half of this year.

Since its inauguration in 2015, the Stellantis Automotive Pole has been a remarkable success story in terms of industrialization and regional development in Brazil. The Pole has become a driving force behind the automotive industry by strategically locating the value chain and focusing on local workforce employability. It consists of an automobile production plant, a Supplier Park with 18 companies and has attracted 38 suppliers to Pernambuco. Plans are underway to expand the supply chain further in the Northeast region.

The Automotive Pole’s initial investment amounted to R$ 11 billion ($2.24 billion), with an additional R$ 7.5 billion ($1.52 billion) planned for product development, research and development, production systems, and training of personnel by 2025. The Pole has produced 1.3 million vehicles, with 200,000 exported. Notably, the project has prioritized social development, employing 85% of its workforce from Pernambuco, particularly from the surrounding areas. The plant and Supplier Park currently employ 14,700 workers, and the overall production chain generates approximately 60,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Beyond production, the Automotive Pole operates research and development centers, including the Project Center, Software Center, and the largest open-air automotive laboratory in the country, the Test Camp. This comprehensive structure forms part of the Stellantis Innovation Ecosystem, fostering collaboration among suppliers, universities, government agencies, and research centers to drive technological advancements and solutions.

With the addition of the Rampage pickup, the Stellantis Automotive Pole now produces a total of five different models: Jeep Renegade, Jeep Compass, Jeep Commander, Fiat Toro, and the new Ram pickup. Notably, three of these models were conceived, designed, and engineered in Brazil, leveraging national resources in engineering and design: Fiat Toro, Jeep Commander, and Rampage.

The President’s visit celebrated the impressive achievements of the Stellantis Automotive Pole in Goiana, Pernambuco. The production of the Rampage pickup showcases Brazil’s automotive manufacturing capabilities and reinforces Stellantis’ commitment to regional development, economic growth, and sustainability in the country.