Although it is true that there is a wide variety of brands in the country, only some have earned the affection of Colombians. Renault is the living example of this, since for several years its models have been very well received. Although time passes, there is always one of his cars that becomes a faithful companion to the country’s families. However, not only its vehicles have become an important part of Colombia’s automotive history. Today Renault Sofasa, the brand’s plant, is the only one that remains active or that will be until the General Motors plant is definitively closed.
The thing is, we are about to mark 55 years since Renault started its industrial operation in Colombia. Although it is true that the automotive market is not going through its best moment, Renault Sofasa has found a way to get ahead. But before getting to this point, we must do a little review of the history of this iconic plant. We tell you how this brand reference began in Envigado and how it has marked the history of the country.
This is how Renault Sofasa started more than 50 years ago in Colombia
There is a lot of history behind this production plant in Colombia. It all started on July 2, 1969 and since then, they have gained a lot of experience, which ensures their permanence in the country. In its beginning, this plant had the share participation of the National Government. In fact, throughout its history, Renault Sofasa has had different shareholders such as Toyota, Mitsui and the Bavaria Business Group. Of course, today the story is different, since today it is an exclusive subsidiary of the Renault Group. Returning to the history of the plant, let us remember that at that time there was a vehicle that became the Colombian’s best friend. We are talking about the much loved Renault 4.
|You may be interested Magma Automotive opened its first showcase with 10 Dfac vehicles|Dongfeng and makes its competition tremble
This was the first vehicle assembled by the production plant, just one year after its opening. That same year, 882 units of this beloved Renault vehicle were obtained. In this way, the brand began its industrial operation and also began a long path with a lot of history. This was the starting point of this plant that remains active today and seems to be far from its end. From the beginning, Renault Sofasa was characterized by its quality, safety, technology and design processes. The years passed and in the country we began to see the arrival of more models of the brand.
Colombia then saw the arrival of the Renault 6, the 12, the 18 and also saw the different versions of some of these models. By 1979, the plant achieved a great record for that time, managing to produce 25,007 units. The years passed and while some models gained strength, others disappeared and the plant remained. Although the Renault 4 said goodbye to Colombia, before the end of the century new vehicles such as the Twingo, Clio and Megane arrived. Since then, the plant has achieved recognition and has managed to have unique and historic figures. The company became a fundamental part of automotive history in Colombia.
The plant’s strategy to be a national and international success
Just take a look at the history of Renault Sofasa to understand why they have been so successful in the country. For several years, they have managed to be number 1 in production, sales and so on. The figures positively support what the plant has done over time. However, one day they understood that it was not enough to just make history in the country. In fact, in 2017 the brand was a leader in the production and export of vehicles, something that they have tried to maintain over the years. It is not necessary to go that far back, if we return to 2023, we will find a very important piece of information.
Last year, Renault Sofasa continued to maintain its position as the largest car producer in Colombia. There was even a growth of 11% regarding the units that were exported. According to figures, there were 17,052 Renault vehicles that left Colombia to various Latin American countries. This topic has become one of the strengths of the plant located in Envigado. The strategy led by Ariel Montengro, Director of the brand in Colombia, has been consolidating very well. That is why in 2024 it is expected to achieve the same and even surpass what was done in 2023.
Although much has been said about the benefit of the closure of General Motors, it is enough to see what Renault Sofasa achieved to have another point of view. The plant located in Envigado has achieved great internal results and is now also making an impact abroad. In fact, this is one of the brand’s plans in Colombia, to continue strengthening itself as an export hub. This is possible, keeping in mind that there is an opportunity to do it in 15 countries. In fact, Renault Sofasa recently added Venezuela to its export list. Without a doubt, a story that does not end and that will continue.
See also:
-.
