Renault Cleon plant to boost engine production to 200,000 units in 2013

JUL

2012

Renault-Nissan Alliance Team

Renault Cleon plant to boost engine production to 200,000 units in 2013

Renault is the diesel specialist for Alliance and produces some of the car industry’s top-performing diesel engines at its plant in Cleon, France. Nissan uses these engines to accelerate sales throughout Europe, where it has already become the number one Asian brand in many key markets.

Helped by this strong demand from Nissan, up to 300 million euros is being invested in the Cleon plant, in part to boost production capacity of one of Renault’s core engines – the Energy DCI 130. Capacity will be increased to 200,000 units a year in 2013, up from 150,000 units today.

See the transcript:

Renault is the diesel specialist for the Renault-Nissan Alliance and produces some of the car industry’s top-performing diesel engines at its plant in Cleon, France.

Nissan uses these engines to accelerate sales throughout Europe, where it has already become the number one Asian brand in many key markets.

“In 2011 we produced 1.3 million parts, we delivered to 35 factories and exported 65% of our production all over the world. Nissan is a very important client for us. 40% of our production is dedicated to Nissan.”

(Phillippe Nottez, Renault Plant Director)

The engine, inspired by Renault’s expertise in Formula 1, is the most efficient diesel in its category. It powers not just Renault’s Meganes and Scenics, but also Nissan’s best-selling model in Europe – the Qashqai crossover.

“This engine is considered as a benchmark in terms of performance. We reached minus 20% of CO2, which means 115g per kilometre for new Scenic. This engine benefits from the latest innovations – stop-start, but also regenerating braking system.”

(Julien Faure, Renault Diesel Engine Projects Director)

“The alliance with Renault has brought big benefits to Nissan in Europe – and specifically Europe, because the diesel engine supplied by Renault has been the backbone of the performance of Note, the Juke, and of Qashqai.”

(Paul Willcox, Nissan International Senior Vice President)

Part of the 300-million euro investment will also be used to build all-electric motors for Renault’s zero-emission vehicles starting in 2013. That means Cleon, in the Normandy countryside, will play an important role in the development of affordable, next-generation electric vehicles.

Adding new production and increasing capacity is good news for any plant – particularly a plant in Europe, where the sluggish economy is forcing many automakers to reduce production.

By contrast, the Cleon plant has become a tangible success story that benefits both Renault and Nissan – one of many “win-win” scenarios boosting efficiency throughout the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

Category: Company news
Under: Cleon
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