PSA pursues its strategy on vans launched with its subsidiary Opel / Vauxhall, recently acquired. After the synergies put in place in Spain and Portugal, the group claims to be the European leader in light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and will invest around 100 million euros at its Luton site in England.
The objective: to increase the production of Opel / Vauxhall Vivaro from the plant of 60,000 vehicles in 2017 to “an annual capacity of 100,000 per year”, explains the group press release. “This decision was made possible by the competitiveness agreement signed with our local partners, including trade unions, which will increase flexibility,” said Carlos Tavares, chairman of the executive board of PSA, during a press briefing. The investment could result in 300 to 400 job creations.
Record sales of LCVs
This investment sign also the end of an Opel / Vauxhall deal with Renault. Until now, the Vivaro was indeed built on the basis of Renault Trafic. From now on, PSA plans to install on the Luton site its new EMP2 platform, also adapted to other SUVs of the group such as Peugeot Expert and Citroën Jumpy. This new platform should be operational by mid-2019. “This is about taking advantage of the success of our commercial vehicle sales in Europe, and of harnessing synergies within the group,” Carlos Tavares insisted. The cooperation with Renault for the production of the Movano, a large Opel van assembled in France on the basis of the Renault Master, remains untouched, as is that with Fiat.
Regarding the uncertainties related to Brexit, the boss of the French manufacturer was reassuring. “Brexit remains a subject,” he admitted, “but it is in the interests of both parties to conclude a favorable trade agreement, not to create customs barriers.”
PSA intends to strengthen its positions in the field of LCVs in Europe. Last year, the group recorded “record sales” of light commercial vehicles (LCVs), at 476,500 units, an increase of 15% compared to 2016. Taking into account specific vehicle derivatives, such as Peugeot Traveler and Citroën SpaceTourer, sales even reached 658,000 units