SEAT sales increase by around 20% in November

To meet growing demand, the automobile-manufacturing company will take on 150 more employees in 2018

SEAT president Luca de Meo in one of the company's car models (by ACN)
SEAT president Luca de Meo in one of the company's car models (by ACN) / Guifré Jordan

Guifré Jordan | Barcelona

December 15, 2017 01:23 PM

Sales in November for the automobile-manufacturing firm SEAT increased by 18.7% in November compared to the same month last year, according to a statement released by the company.

Exports to the German market increased by 25.6%, and 19.8% in Spain, while other markets also saw similar increases. In Turkey, for example, sales increased by 58%, and in Belgium by 30%.

International sales have grown by 14.7% throughout 2017. From January to November, the company sold 435,000 vehicles, 56,000 more than the same period in 2016.

SEAT's vice president, Wayne Griffiths stated that in November the growth rate in October has continued. "We are completing a very positive last quarter and this is an unbeatable year in what has become one of the most growing brands in Europe," he said.

In October, sales grew by 23% compared to the same month in 2016, in what was the biggest increase since the start of the year.

The company will also take on 150 more workers in January 2018 to reinforce its production lines in order to meet growing demand. The new employees will be divided between its factories in Ibiza, and Arona in Tenerife.

Both the company and unions have stressed that thanks to the flexibility and stability of the business framework of SEAT, employment is continuously being generated. 

Good news for Mango

Another big Catalan company, Mango, also announced on Friday that it will make 100 million euros with the sale of one of its facilities to the British investment firm Invesco.

The clothes company, which recently opened a superstore in Lisbon, has stated that the purpose of the sale is to obtain resources to help finance its expansion with the opening of more superstores and the development of digital sales.