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The SUV market explodes and PSA plans to sell 110,000 copies a year of its new C5 Aircross, which will hit the market in the fall. The vehicle is manufactured at the factory in Rennes, which received Monday the visit of Linda Jackson, director of Citroen. Interview
Why this visit to the factory in Rennes?
This is a historic site of the Citroën brand, a strong symbol. In October, I had seen an empty building, which was going to receive the new production line. I am now measuring the metamorphosis of the site. It is a total change of industrial process, with the implementation of kitting, which reduces costs. Before, coins were made available at the edge of the line. Today, they are distributed in kits corresponding to each model and transported to the operators by self-guided robots. This is not a first for PSA but it is a revolution for the Rennes site
The C5 Aircross is already produced in China. The Rennes plant manufactures the European model. What are your sales forecasts?
Since its release on the Chinese market in September 2017, we have already sold 40,000 copies! And Citroën's sales in China have increased by 50% since January, all models combined. The European version of the SUV C5 Aircross, manufactured in Rennes, will be marketed from autumn (1) and exported to more than 90 countries. Our sales targets are 110,000 vehicles a year.
What are the highlights of the new Aircross SUV C5?
This is a vehicle emblematic of our brand, with a key word, comfort, which goes through the suspensions with progressive hydraulic stops, the quality of the seats and the modular character of the three folding rear seats, which do not exist on the Chinese version, equipped with a bench seat. This offers a larger boot volume. The SUV market is booming and we have confidence in the success of the C3 Aircross model.
How is the Citroën brand?
Our sales have increased by 9% since January worldwide and by 7.4% in Europe . They are especially worn by the new Citroën C3 released end of 2016, which is a worldwide success, with more than 400,000 copies sold by September. Today, Citroën sells 1.2 million vehicles a year and our goal is to reach 1.6 million by 2020.
350 recruitments by December
The Breton factory will set up a 4th production team in VSD (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and announces the recruitment by December, 350 people, including fifty in permanent contract (they remain employees of temporary agencies) and ten in CDI (PSA employees). Most of the production trades are concerned: manufacturing agent, forklifts, maintenance engineers, auto mechanics and team leaders. The site currently employs 3,000 employees, including about 800 temporary workers.
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