Groupe Renault unveils new production line for Alpine A110

Renault Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn inaugurated the all-new Alpine A110 production line. This inauguration was attended by the Minister for Economy and Finance of France, Bruno Le Maire, with the two also inspecting the production line committed to the new sports car of Alpine. This production line will be part of Groupe Renault’s Alpine facility located in Dieppe, Normandy.

Talking about the new production line, Ghosn revealed that it was in Dieppe where the first-ever Berlinette was manufactured around half a century ago. The renewal of the Alpine production, he added, presented the company with an interesting challenge. Groupe Renault managed to rise to the occasion with Alliance, he continued, especially with support from the local urban district, the region, and ultimately the state. The factory has been completely refurbished, Ghosn declared, through an investment amounting to at least €35 million and the recruitment of 151 individuals. The brand has long been known for its French-style elegance and excellence. With this new production line, Ghosn said, this will no longer be simply claims but an actual industrial reality.

After two years of work and an outlay of at least €35 million, the brand believes that the Dieppe plant will become one of a kind especially in Europe. This new production line will have the capability of assembling the chassis and all-aluminum body of the Alpine A110. Meanwhile the paint shop will have new cleaning and sanding robots in order to ensure that premium quality finish. The brand also revealed that the same assembly line has been upgraded in line with the best practices of Alliance.

Further, the addition of 151 recruits means that the workforce levels in the Dieppe plant have been increased by 60%. This will increase the total number of employees to 392, all of whom will undergo a total of four weeks, around 140 hours, of training that is specific to the Alpine A110’s production.

This facility has long been considered as the historic home of Alpine. It was built in 1969 by Jean Rédélé and specialized in manufacturing small athletic models. Once the factory is converted to follow Alliance manufacturing standards, the Dieppe plant will truly become more than qualified to manufacture premium vehicles.

Groupe Renault has been in the business of making cars going as far back as 1898. As of 2016, the company is now an international multi-brand group selling around 3.2 million in 127 different countries. The group has a total of 35 manufacturing sites with 12,700 point of sales, and employs at least 120,000 people. In order to be able to continue with the profitable growth plan and meet major technological issues, the Group will be utilizing the international growth as well as the complementary fit of the Group’s five brands which include Alpine, Dacia, LADA, Renault, and Renault Samsung Motors.

PRESS RELEASE

Groupe Renault inaugurates new Alpine A110 production line in Dieppe, France

Carlos Ghosn, Renault Chairman and CEO, and France’s Minister for Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire today inaugurated the new Alpine A110 production line at Groupe Renault’s Alpine facility in Dieppe, Normandy, the brand’s original home. Together, Mr Ghosn and Mr Le Maire inspected the production line dedicated to Alpine’s new sports car.

“The revival of Alpine production in Dieppe, where the original Berlinette was made almost 50 years ago, presented us with a challenge, but we rose to it together, with backing from the state, the region, the local urban district, Groupe Renault and the Alliance. Investment totalled more than €35 million, 151 people have been recruited and the factory has been refurbished. The excellence and French-style elegance that the brand stands for are more than just claims; today, in Dieppe they are an industrial reality,” declared Carlos Ghosn.

Following two years’ work and an outlay of more than €35 million, the Dieppe plant is one of a kind in Europe. It is capable of assembling the new Alpine A110’s all-aluminium body and chassis, while the paint shop’s new sanding and cleaning robots guarantee a premium quality finish. The assembly line itself has been modernised in accordance with the Alliance’s best practices.

In parallel to this transformation, the Dieppe plant has raised workforce levels by 60 percent with the recruitment of 151 new staff over the past two years, and all 392 employees have been given four weeks’ (140 hours) training specific to production of the Alpine A110.

As Alpine’s historic home, the factory built by Jean Rédélé in 1969 has long specialised in the production of small sporty models. Following its conversion to Alliance manufacturing standards and, more specifically, for production of the new Alpine A110, the Dieppe plant is today perfectly qualified to produce premium vehicles.