A decisive moment
The last year has seen us facing one of the biggest challenges in recent decades. It was an unprecedented situation that Grupo Antolin has managed to overcome thanks to its mature business model, great capacity for resilience and solid vision of the future. In this context of change, readjustment and momentous decisions being taken quickly, the recovery taking place now is happening hand-in-hand with the shaping of the future. This is happening at all levels and in the automotive components industry as a whole, which is expected to be one of the mainstays of the new recovery scenario.
The davos forum, held in January 2020, took the first step in building a new business paradigm: so-called “stakeholder capitalism.” In contrast to companies that only care about their shareholders, this new capitalism is committed to a different model, more ambitious in scope, in which companies also care about their customers, employees, suppliers, the communities in which they operate, the environment and society in general.
This creates a new framework for economic development where concepts such as shared economic prosperity, social development, sustainable progress and environmental conservation are adopted as objectives by each company. They become the foundations on which to build a better future for everyone, because that is what we need to do now: write the future.
This new paradigm is the business world’s response to the call to action made by the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The words “emergency” and “global and local authorities” have been heard much more than ever before in the last two years, and everyone agrees not only on the need to act, but on the need to act now, both quickly and resolutely.
One of these urgent measures is the European Green Deal, the road map to provide the EU with a sustainable economy by 2050. Supported by a budget of €1 trillion, the plan outlines three interlocking strategies to achieve a cleaner economy across the continent: promoting the efficient use of resources by facilitating the transition towards a circular economy, restoring biodiversity and reducing pollution.
As expected, the European Green Deal primary focuses on the mobility sector. Its plans include the implementation of a sustainable and smart mobility strategy, financing to create a public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, the assessment of legislative frameworks to promote alternative fuels, and increased restrictions on the emissions of atmospheric pollutants by vehicles.
This road map also links with the new European Industrial Strategy, which aims to establish a new industrial policy for the european Union, common to all member states and with a long-term approach. There are three pillars on which this is based: environmental transition, global competitiveness as a single market and digital transition.
EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL AND THE MOBILITY SECTOR
NEW EUROPEAN INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY
Environmental transition
The European Green Deal is Europe’s new growth strategy.
Its key target is to make Europe the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
Global competitiveness
The right conditions are necessary for entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into real products and services and for companies of all sizes to prosper and grow.
The EU must take advantage of the impact, size and integration of its single market to make its voice heard in the world and set global standards.
Digital transition
Digital technologies are changing the face of the industry and the way we do business.
They allow economic agents to be more proactive, provide workers with new skills and contribute to the decarbonization of our economy.
Key developments in the sector
Trends in mobility
In recent years, so many disruptive new developments have been seen in the automotive sector that instead of talking about a turning point, we should really see it as a process of redefinition. The sector is currently fighting on many fronts, although there is some consensus in terms of moving in the same direction. The vehicle of the future will be connected, self-driving, electric, customized and will increasingly be considered a service.
CONNECTED VEHICLES
With each other and with technology platforms that supply large amounts of data
ASSISTED DRIVING
More resources for the driver inside the vehicle
ELECTRIFICATION
With implications for the architecture of vehicles and the environment
VEHICLE AS A SERVICE
At the user's request, not as property
CUSTOMIZATION
Adapted to the needs of the user and the environment
Global Automotive Market
In 2020, the automotive components industry demonstrated, more than ever, its ability to adapt to a very difficult and challenging environment. Thanks to this, although the global sales figure was 77.7 million units (14% less than in 2019), we must focus on the recovery that occurred in the final months of the year as a result of the increase in sales in the chinese and Us markets, and the greater stability seen in south America and certain european countries.
These figures, together with the technological advances reaching the industry, the increasing importance of the Chinese market and the consolidation of the electric vehicle around the world, allow us to make out a recovery on the horizon for the sector.
Sales in 2020
In 2020, Toyota regained the leadership in terms of global sales, ahead of the VW Group and Stellantis, formed by the merger of FCA and PSA. In terms of specific models, the best-selling car of the year was the Toyota Corolla, followed by the Toyota RAV4 and the Ford F-Series. In Europe, the Volkswagen Golf led the market again, in a year in which the Opel Corsa, the Peugeot 208 and the Renault Captur all entered the Top 10. In Spain, the Dacia Sandero was the best-selling car, ahead of the SE AT León, and SE AT was the brand with the highest sales.
