Latest news with #Camaçari
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
BYD begins production in Brazil
China's BYD Auto has begun production at its newly-built passenger vehicle assembly plant in Bahia State, Brazil, as the company continues its rapid global expansion. The opening of the plant comes just fifteen months after the company held the ground-breaking ceremony, in March 2024, and is a few months ahead of schedule. BYD said it is investing BRL 5.5 billion (US$ 1 billion) in the facility, which has a designated production capacity of 150,000 battery-powered and plug-in hybrid vehicles per year. It is located near the coastal city of Camaçari, with easy access to the Port of Aratu, and is expected to create around 20,000 jobs directly and indirectly across the local supply industry. BYD's executive vice president, Stella Li, confirmed in a statement: 'From breaking ground to the first car rolling off the production line, it has only taken us 15 months. This achievement heralds a new chapter for BYD and sustainable transportation in Latin America." The first model to go into production was the Seagull, renamed the Dolphin Mini for the local market, which the company claims is the country's best-selling all-electric vehicle model with 34,000 sales to date. Production of the Song Pro and Chaser 05 (King) is scheduled to go into production in the next few weeks. BYD first entered the Brazilian market in 2021 and has sold a total of more than 130,000 vehicles here so far. In the first quarter of 2025, the company sold a total of 20,000 new energy vehicles in the country. Alexandre Baldy, head of Sales and Marketing at BYD Auto Brasil, said in a statement: 'We are transforming Camaçari into a powerhouse for the future. This manufacturing complex represents a victory for innovation, sustainability, and trust in Brazil. BYD has brought with it technology, investment and a purpose: to be part of the next chapter of the national automotive industry. What we are seeing today in Bahia is a milestone in the reindustrialization of the country and a major technological leap. BYD is now a company made by Brazilians for Brazilians.' BYD said the Camaçari plant is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including intelligent automation which controls all phases of production. The company claims the facility is one of the most advanced in the world, with intelligent sequencing systems which prioritise production of models for which demand is highest. Each vehicle can be tracked in real time as it moves along the line. BYD's global sales increased by 33% to 2.146 million vehicles in the first half of 2025, including 464,000 in over 110 overseas markets. "BYD begins production in Brazil" was originally created and published by Investment Monitor, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Auto Blog
29-05-2025
- Business
- Auto Blog
Brazilian Prosecutors Sue BYD Over 'Slave-Like' Work Conditions at Factory Site
One of the world's most prolific automakers, the Chinese giant BYD, has been formally accused by Brazilian authorities in a newly filed lawsuit of subjecting its workers to what they described as being akin to modern slavery and engaging in international human trafficking. The suit, which is being filed against BYD and two contractors, JinJiang and Tecmonta, seeks 257 million reais (~$50 million) in damages and individual restitution for the workers affected. Withheld passports and crowded conditions are among the accusations The suit itself stems from an investigation that started late last year, when the Public Labour Prosecutor's Office (MPT) in the Brazilian state of Bahia halted work at the construction site of BYD's new factory in Camaçari after they rescued a total of 220 Chinese nationals who were employed to help build the factory. Authorities state that workers were subjected to abhorrent living and working conditions at the plant that they described back in December as 'an alarming picture of precariousness and degradation,' where workers slept in crowded dormitories with bunk beds without mattresses and only one bathroom per every 31 workers; which forced them to wake up at 4 a.m. everyday to prepare for their 5:30 a.m. shifts at the site. 'All the accommodations shared serious infrastructure and hygiene problems,' the MPT wrote back in December, translated from Portuguese. 'The bathrooms, in addition to being insufficient, were not separated by sex, did not have adequate toilet seats, and presented poor hygiene conditions. The lack of a suitable place to wash clothes led workers to use their own bathrooms for this purpose.' In addition, the MPT wrote in its suit that due to the conditions that BYD and the two subcontractors subjected workers to, workers were at an increased risk of accidents due to the negligence of occupational health and safety standards at the site. In the MPT's December 2024 report, they recorded that they recorded 'several workplace accidents,' including one where a worker suffered an accident 'due to sleep deprivation caused by inadequate housing conditions and long working hours,' as well as a worker who didn't receive proper medical care following an eye injury. The prosecutors also claimed that the BYD workers were brought to Brazil to build the factory without the proper visas, that their employers pocketed up to 70% of their wages, and subjected them to immense financial penalties to terminate their contracts. Many of the workers also had their passports taken away and worked under 'employment contracts with illegal clauses, exhausting work hours, and no weekly rest.' BYD Dolphin — Source: BYD Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Brazilian law says that debt bondage and work that violates human dignity are defined as 'slavery-like conditions.' In a statement seen by the Associated Press, BYD said that it is collaborating with Brazilian authorities and has been throughout the probe into its working conditions. The automaker also stated that it respects Brazilian law and international labor regulations. However, in December, BYD spokesperson Li Yunfei posted on Weibo that efforts were made to 'smear' brands like BYD. 'In the matter of smearing Chinese brands, smearing China, and attempting to undermine the friendship between China and Brazil, we have seen how relevant foreign forces maliciously associate and deliberately smear,' Yunfei said about media reports about the situation. Final thoughts The BYD plant in Bahia was supposed to open in March, but the suit shows how much companies like BYD are willing to stick to a solid dollar and cents figure for foreign factories in emerging markets like Brazil. In a statement for Deutsche Welle, Paulo Feldmann, an economist and professor at the FIA Business School in Sao Paulo, found that BYD's use of Chinese workers in Brazil is similar to how other Chinese companies operate in places like Africa and other Latin American countries. Still, they offer no tangible benefits to the local population. 'For Brazil, it would have been better if these workers had been local, because of the income they would have generated for themselves and their families, the positive impact on their communities, and the professional training they would have acquired. It would also be easier to monitor their working conditions,' he said. Chinese labor conditions have been a pressing issue in other sectors besides construction and industrial factories. For instance, the 996 working hour system (which requires employees to work from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, 6 days per week; or 72 hours per week, 12 hours per day) has been a significant issue surrounding major tech and internet companies in the country including Alibaba, Huawei and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.
The Independent
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Brazilian prosecutors sue China's BYD over allegations of slave-like labor conditions
Brazilian prosecutors said Tuesday they are suing Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD and two of its contractors over allegations of using workers in slave-like labor conditions and engaging in international human trafficking. The labor prosecutors' office in Bahia state said in a statement that they are seeking 257 million Brazilian reais ($50 million) in damages from BYD, China JinJiang Construction Brazil and Tecmonta Equipamentos Inteligentes. The lawsuit stems from an investigation that led to the rescue last year of 220 Chinese workers from the construction site of BYD's new factory in the city of Camaçari. Prosecutors said the workers were brought to Brazil under false pretenses and with visas that did not match their jobs. 'Working conditions were extremely degrading. Five settlements were kept by BYD, JinJiang and Tecmonta. Some workers slept on beds without mattresses and had their personal belongings alongside with their food,' the prosecutors' office said. 'There were few bathrooms, which were not gender-assigned. In one of the settlements, there was one toilet for 31 people, forcing workers to wake up at 4 a.m. for their personal hygiene before their work.' BYD said in a statement it is collaborating with the investigations from the start and will speak about the case during the course of the probe. It also said it respects Brazil's laws and international labor regulations. In December, a spokesperson for the Chinese automaker objected to reports about poor conditions at the construction site in Brazil, saying the allegations were aimed at 'smearing' China and Chinese brands.
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Brazilian prosecutors sue China's BYD over allegations of slave-like labor conditions
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian prosecutors said Tuesday they are suing Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD and two of its contractors over allegations of using workers in slave-like labor conditions and engaging in international human trafficking. The labor prosecutors' office in Bahia state said in a statement that they are seeking 257 million Brazilian reais ($50 million) in damages from BYD, China JinJiang Construction Brazil and Tecmonta Equipamentos Inteligentes. The lawsuit stems from an investigation that led to the rescue last year of 220 Chinese workers from the construction site of BYD's new factory in the city of Camaçari. Prosecutors said the workers were brought to Brazil under false pretenses and with visas that did not match their jobs. 'Working conditions were extremely degrading. Five settlements were kept by BYD, JinJiang and Tecmonta. Some workers slept on beds without mattresses and had their personal belongings alongside with their food,' the prosecutors' office said. 'There were few bathrooms, which were not gender-assigned. In one of the settlements, there was one toilet for 31 people, forcing workers to wake up at 4 a.m. for their personal hygiene before their work.' BYD did not comment after a request from The Associated Press. In December, a spokesperson for the Chinese automaker objected to reports about poor conditions at the construction site in Brazil, saying the allegations were aimed at 'smearing' China and Chinese brands.
