Follow the company's exodus: more than 20 brands have already confirmed their departure from Argentina
While the reasons to finish operations in the country are diverse, reality aims to be experiencing an exodus of companies that do not see Argentina as a country with clear rules, exchange stability or growth expectations.Among them are air travel companies, clothing brands, supermarket chains and even paint producers, among other items.
The economic crisis in the world seems to be in many cases the one that causes this exodus, although there were also reasons such as "business erosion" or the socio -political situation in the country to justify these exits.
Eli Lilly
In the first place is the most recent case, that of the American pharmacist Eli Lilly being the last to communicate the cessation of its operations in the country.It worked as a laboratory specialized in insulin and medications to combat high complexity diabetes and medications, being one of the most important in the country.
As explained from the company, the departure is on regional scale, so this same situation is also being replicated in Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Central America.In addition, the business will be taken by the Raffo laboratory at the national level, while the Tecnofarma group will take charge at the regional level.
Walmart
The Walmart supermarket chain still operates under the same name in the country but the original owners decided to sell the business to the Narváez group, the Americans of the supermarket business in the country come out in the country.
The reasons for leaving Argentina are both the internal of the company - which is going through a reorganization process that includes the sale of its international subsidiaries - how external - the country's situation influenced the decision to abandon it.
Falabella
One of the cases that resonated in recent times is that of Falabella, a company of Chilean retail that decided to close all its operations in the country - including its ecommerce chain - something that began to perform in April and ended up concluding in June,With auctions and auctions of your stock available.
With its departure, different spaces were already available that already plan to be used by other companies, but the firm will not sell again in the country at least in the short and medium term.
LATAM
The situation of aeronautical companies in Argentina passes its worst moment, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) ensuring that "operating in Argentina is becoming unfeasible".And a reflection of this is seen in the departure of LATAM, Chilean aeronautical company, which announced the closure of its Argentine LAN subsidiary and with it from a series of both local and regional routes.
Likewise, the company continues to operate at the moment in Argentina, although it does so only for international destinations and to cover routes previously carried out LAN, which are mostly carried out within South America.
Air New Zealand
Another of the various aeronautical companies that decided to leave their operations in the country is Air New Zealand, which decreed the cessation of its operations in April last year.It was one of the main companies to carry out the Ezeiza-Auckland route, although due to the pandemic it was forced to stop operating in the country.
Emirates
The third air travel company on the list is Emirates, flag line of the United Arab Emirates and whose headquarters are in Dubai.It left the country in August last year, ensuring that the suspension of its services was carried out for "indeterminate time" and offering its employees different voluntary retirement plans.
While the main reason is in the suspension of international flights as a result of the pandemic, the fact that in Argentina the closure of borders lasted also added in the decision to leave the country.
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways, fourth airline in leaving the country, decided to suspend its services - which include one of the only routes from Doha to Buenos Aires available - due to the impact of the pandemic and the negative conditions of the market.
"We have informed all affected employees about this decision and we are also working with the interested parties and the relevant authorities to ensure that they are informed of this closure," explained the statement issued by a company spokesman from Qatar.
Norwegian Air
But not only were the large airlines that were impacted by the current crisis in the sector, since the Low Costcrisis last year-.
The Norway firm, which operated from Jorge Newbery Aeroparque mainly, gave its operations to the Jetsmart firm and left the country in December 2019, when the crisis in the aeronautical sector had not yet started.
It is also important to highlight that the following companies suspended their flights in Argentina temporarily: Alitalia, British Airways, Ethiopian, Cuban of Aviation, Air Canada, Sky and the Brazilian goal and blue.
Axalta, Basf and PPG Industries
El negocio de las pinturas también se vio afectado por la crisis actual, y el éxodo de empresas del país, con las firmas Axalta, BASF Y PPG Industries anunciando en julio de 2020 el cese de operaciones.
Por el lado de Axalta, la marca norteamericana comunicó en su momento que no continuaría vendiendo sus productos en Argentina vía mail y justificó la decisión a la situación crítica en la que se encontraba la empresa debido a la crisis producto de la pandemia de coronavirus.
El caso de BASF es similar, aunque se diferencia en que la firma alemana anunció que no continuaría produciendo pinturas automotrices en el país.In dialogue with the chronicler, the company clarified that it will not withdraw from the Argentine market, but will only leave the manufacture of these products.
Por su parte, PPG -segunda empresa más grande del sector- fue la primera en anunciar su salida del país en mayo del año pasado, cuando decidió armar las valijas y trasladar sus operaciones a Brasil, según indicó en ese mes el sitio Infogremiales.
Pierre Fabré
The French laboratory Pierre Fabré, who was in charge of carrying out the creams of Dermatological Avène, Klorane, Ducray and Elancyl among its most prominent products, confirmed its departure from the country in June last year, selling the entire business to its Argentine torque Sidus.
While the amount of the transaction was not detailed, from the company they assured that it is a "strategic alliance" where the National Laboratory, under the management of the Argüelles family, will continue with the manufacture and distribution of Pierre Fabré products in thecountry.
Saint Gobain Sekurit
La otra empresa francesa que decidió trasladar sus operaciones, las cuales se centran en la fabricación de parabrisas, fue Saint Gobain Sekurit, la cual dejó su fábrica en Campana para emigrar a sus centrales en Brasil, lugar donde también atenderá el mercado local.
Under Armor
La empresa norteamericana de ropa deportiva Under Armor decidió abandonar sus operaciones en la Argentina, cómo parte de una estrategia central de achicamiento que se refleja en el cierre de sus filiales de Brasil y Chile.The brand left the country in July last year and currently sells through a local distributor.
Nike
Another sportswear company that decided to cease its operations in the country is Nike, which in February of last year had fixed everything to leave the country and sell its operations to the Mexican group Axo, something that ended up falling in December due to the pandemic andThe lack of profitability.At the moment the departure remained in see, but everything indicates that it will not continue to operate in Argentina.
La novedad más reciente se dio en mayo de este año, cuando el Grupo Dass anunció una inversión de US$ 25 M para aumentar su producción -cosa que incluiría la contratación de 200 empleados- y poder comenzar a funcionar cómo principal proveedor de Nike en Argentina.
Gerresheimer
La empresa de origen alemán Gerresheimer se ocupaba de producir y vender packaging para el sector farmacéutico. Su salida del país se dio luego de la venta de las operaciones al grupo argentino IMAP.
Brightstar
La salida de la empresa Brightstar, que se ocupaba de fabricar celulares para LG y Samsung en el país, se dio en octubre del año pasado, luego de que el Grupo Caputo compró las operaciones a 1 peso argentino a cambio de inyectar la inversión necesaria para mantener las operaciones, que emplean a 450 personas.
Glovo
El caso de Glovo, empresa de deliverys con un funcionamiento similar a Pedidos Ya o Rappi, fue realmente sorpresivo, ya que de un día para el otro anunció el cese de operaciones en el país debido a diferentes circunstancias. Las operaciones fueron vendidas a Delivery Hero, empresa detrás de la ya mencionada Pedidos Ya, en septiembre del año pasado.
ASICS
En diciembre de 2020 se anunció la venta de las operaciones de ASICS, firma japonesa de ropa deportiva que había desembarcado en 2017 en el país. La compradora fue el Grupo Dass, empresa argentina dueña de marcas cómo Fila y Umbro, que quedó cómo su "representante exclusivo" en el país.
Source: The Chronicler-Upe