In the first quarter of this year, 51% of companies that operate in the new factory car logistics segment recorded a decrease in the volumes of vehicles handled compared to a all-time low of 5% marked in the second quarter of 2023 in of the most acute crisis of industrial capacity Automotive. This was announced by ECG, the logistics association European vehicle sector: "The volumes - explained the President of the organisation, Wolfgang Göbel - are decreasing and Market uncertainty is increasing for companies. We urgently rebuild confidence in the sector, especially as Attention continues to be focused on tensions geopolitics and trade conflicts".

However, the medium-term outlook does not appear to be promising, given that the ECG survey of the state of the market highlighted that companies active in the automotive logistics do not expect that in the next six months significant changes in their activity will take place. The survey also revealed that over the next six months, the propensity of companies to invest in all types of assets - therefore in ships, railway wagons and trucks - have fallen to 75% compared to 91% last autumn. It is therefore drastically increased the level of pessimism of companies that has rose this year to 36% of companies compared to 3% in the first quarter of 2023.

The association recalled that motor vehicle manufacturers are under severe financial pressure that could be attenuated given that the European Union has introduced a certain flexibility with regard to the reduction targets CO2 emissions of the automotive sector within the next three years that were previously very ambitious. The European Commission - ECG recalled - responded with several packages also aimed at companies, including the Competitive Compass, the New Industrial Clean Deal and the Omnibus Simplification Package. "These tools, Göbel noted, will only work whether industry leaders will trust and perceive them as a real support".

ECG announced that the General Assembly and the spring elections of the association, which will be held on Thursday and next Friday in Cascais, Portugal, will focus on on the theme of promoting the efficiency of processes.