Europe 1 with AFP 11:42 a.m., October 06, 2022
Renault has great ambitions in France.
Alongside the electric Mégane or even the Zoé, the diamond brand confirmed this Thursday that it would produce its future electric models Scénic, 4L and R5 on French territory.
The group "places France at the heart of its electrical industrial activities", he welcomed in a press release.
Renault confirmed on Thursday that it would produce its future Scénic and 4L electric models, in addition to the R5, at its factories in Douai and Maubeuge (North).
The Renault group underlines with this announcement that it "definitely places France at the heart of its electrical industrial activities", underlined the group in a press release.
The manufacturer made these announcements when it must specify the details of its internal revolution at the beginning of November, the split between its thermal activities which are demoting and the electric which is accelerating.
Its new "ElectriCity" division, which brings together three of its factories in the north of France, already produces the electric Mégane (in Douai), to which will be added the new battery-powered Kangoo, and the electric model which will replace the Nissan Micra. , Renault's partner.
The diamond brand aims to produce 700,000 vehicles in France by 2024, and 100% electric sales in 2030.
2,500 hires planned between 2022 and 2024
"Through constructive social dialogue and by improving our industrial tool, we are showing that it is possible to lead the battle for competitiveness in France," said the group's managing director, Luca De Meo.
The group stressed that it had made nearly 1,000 hires in France since the start of 2022, out of the 2,500 planned for the 2022-2024 period.
They follow a huge savings plan launched in 2020 to get the group out of the red zone, with 2,500 job cuts, particularly in engineering.
Near the "ElectriCity", the Alpine factory in Dieppe (Seine-Maritime) will manufacture the future SUV of the sports brand.
On the utility side, the Sandouville (Seine-Maritime) plant will handle the new electric Trafic van, and Batilly (Meurthe-et-Moselle) the replacement for the Master as well as a partner's vehicle.
Le Mans (Sarthe) will build the chassis linked to the new vehicles.
Social measures in the face of inflation
After discussions on inflation, marked by strikes at many sites, the group signed an agreement with three unions (CFE-CGC, CFDT and FO) at the end of September to "support purchasing power" which includes a bonus exceptional amount of 500 euros (a "Macron bonus", without social security contributions).
Added to this is a transport bonus of 100 euros, free health insurance for three months and the possibility of reselling three days of RTT with a 25% increase, i.e. a total of 1,000 euros for “the majority of employees”, according to Renault.
The CGT did not sign the agreement, deeming these measures "insufficient" and asking for a general increase of 5,000 euros per year.
The group pointed out that it had also brought forward annual wage negotiations from February 2023 to December 2022.