BARCELONA, Spain, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Success in the auto industry depends on delivering cars rapidly at the lowest possible cost, Emilio Gomez, logistics manager at Omoda Spain, a joint venture between Spanish Ebro-EV Motors and Chinese Chery Automobile, has said.
In an interview with Xinhua Friday, Gomez stressed that "the most important thing is that our logistical process here in Barcelona is completed as efficiently as possible to comply with the fundamental principles of logistics, which is to do it at the lowest cost and in the shortest time possible."
At the company's extensive autoterminal facility in the northeastern port of Barcelona, the manager said they have handled some 2,500 vehicles since the first arrival of the Omoda 5 model in January.
"Car brands will not become more competitive because their marketing or commercial image is better than the others but because they have a more efficient and quicker supply chain," he said, adding that most cars are delivered to customers within 24 to 48 hours.
Spain is ideally located to distribute cars to the rest of Europe due to its comprehensive rail and shipping link, Gomez said.
"Spain is going to become the gateway to Europe for the Chery group, and specifically Omoda, which is one of the most successful brands in the Chinese car industry and above all for the introduction of new brands in Europe," he said.
Omoda's logistics operation in the port is set to increase considerably in June when the brand begins importing the Jaecoo 7 model, the manager added.
He also underscored the importance of delivering vehicles in perfect condition and Omoda will soon begin reviewing cars with a system that uses multiple cameras and AI technology.
Logistics supervisor Andres Gomez said "Our cars are subject to three stages of review, the first when they are taken out of the container, another when parked waiting to be moved, and a third here in the pre-delivery area. All of this is to build trust in us and to make safety our watchword."
By the end of the year, Omoda cars will also start being assembled in Barcelona as part of a deal signed in April between Chery and Ebro.
The Chery/Ebro joint venture has aimed to produce some 50,000 vehicles in 2027 and 150,000 in 2029, making the former Nissan plant in Barcelona the first factory in Europe to develop and build Chinese cars.
"The most important impact of the agreement is that it strengthens the trust of potential customers because we have gone from being a brand exclusively imported from China to becoming a brand made in Spain," said Gomez.
