Why PSA keeps the Rennes plant?
- In a previous analysis (new game of musical chairs in the PSA plant), we have examined the PSA decision to allocate the production of future MPV 5008 to Rennes plant and not Sochaux plant. The present anlysis relates to the reasons of this transfer.
- Despite the decline in production volume recorded in Rennes in recent years (350 000 units in 2005 and less than 100 000 in 2013), PSA plans to sustain activity in Rennes rather than close the plant, however located in an outlying region of France (and Europe), largely underutilized and with a decreasing activity .
- PSA intends to use the Rennes site as an assembly plant dedicated to segment D vehicles (Peugeot 508 and Citroën C5) . However the DS5 (5008 platform ) remains manufactured in the Sochaux plant.
- This decision is difficult to understand by external analysts. Several PSA European plants are underutilized. Why keep a plant located in an outlying region of Europe while other plants in central Europe are easier to use in terms of logistics?
- The reason might be that that PSA management has in mind to load the Rennes plant after 2016, by models of segment D or E (example: the future Peugeot 608 ), or through the transfer of future Opel models. It has however not confirmed transfer models to Rennes plant.
