- The announcement of the production transfer in 2016 of the Citroen C3 Picasso from the PSA plant in Trnava (Slovakia) to the GM plant in Zaragoza (Spain) will induce changes within the French group. By losing this model (55 000 units in 2013), the Trnava plant would only be used at 64% of its 300 000 units of its theoretical capacity.
- To compensate this loss, PSA has decided to transfer the production of the Peugeot 208 (entry and mid-range ) from Poissy to Trnava, a production of 50 000 units in 2013. Which leaves 60 000 theoretical units that would still be produced in Trnava.
- Based on PSA's announcement of wanting to produce urban vehicles out of France, the transfer scenario of the Peugeot 208, currently produced in Mulhouse is possible. Today 50 000 units are produced per year, the model could thus fill the production capacity of the Trnava plant and bring the plant utilization rate to nearly 97%.
- What about the Poissy plant? In the long term (2016-2018), only high-end finishes of both the Peugeot 208 and the Citroën DS3 (Premium version of the Citroën C3) are guaranteed to be produced at Poissy. This could mean a production transfer of future Citroën C3 outside of France (possibly to Villaverde in Spain, alongside the C4 Cactus?).
- Without these models, the Poissy plant would only be used at 50% of its capacity. Is PSA planning to increase the production of its French plant? The arrival of a new 'Premium" model (DSX SUV or sedan DS2?) might be the solution. However, according to our estimates, the arrival of a new "Premium" model would hardly compensate for the loss announced because of the Peugeot 208 and the likely loss of the Citroën C3 . Let us recall that in 2013, PSA committed to increase its production in France.