100,000th Master Van Rolls Off Renault's Sovab Plant Production Line: Commercial Success For A Manufacturing Challenge
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PARIS – July 13, 2011: The 100,000th Master van rolled out of Renault's SoVAB plant (Société de Véhicules Automobiles de Batilly) in eastern France yesterday. The landmark figure speaks volumes for the vehicle's success, and orders for Renault Master have increased by 40 per cent compared to the same period in 2010. The brand's 14 per cent share of Europe's big van market up to end-May 2011 represents a rise of two points and 16 per cent over the first five months of 2010. And this success isn't restricted to Europe either, since it is mirrored in the Euromed[1] region where the vehicle enjoys a market share of 17.9 per cent (up 49 per cent).
To meet the challenge, 90 people were recruited during the first half
of 2011
The SoVAB plant has pulled out all the stops to meet this
growing demand which has resulted in full order books. Production rates
have risen sharply, while 90 people were taken on during the first half of
the year, allowing the factory to run two-and-a-half shifts. Everything is
now in place for the unprecedented production rate of 600 vehicles per day
to be reached by the last quarter of 2011.
"A remarkable team effort"
From Master's launch to the
availability of all 350 versions in all its international markets took a
little more than one year, a remarkably short period of time given the
immense challenge it represented in manufacturing terms. Indeed, while the
broad variety of variants means that the needs of business customers are
comprehensively covered, it has naturally made production more complex.
"All those involved in the project produced a remarkable team effort," says
Pierre Monflier, Factory Director. "Their unfailing commitment and
motivation enabled us to make all 350 variants of Master available in time.
That's an achievement we can be proud of, and our biggest reward is the
response of our customers which has resulted in full order books."
The 100,000th vehicle was delivered to the Colas Group which took delivery of its Master at SoVAB's premises on 11 July. Philippe Brissonneau, the Group's Equipment Director, explained his firm's choice of a Master chassis cab which will go on to be converted into a dropside platform by Renault Tech: "We have worked with Renault for some years. Indeed, Renault is a fairly straightforward choice because our activity calls for reliable vehicles which match our needs at the lowest possible price. Renault has always met those requirements. We are convinced that this Master will be even better than its predecessor, which is a vehicle we know very well. Being able to depend on Renault's network is obviously a big plus, too!"
Renault Master: an office on wheelsThe latest Master is the third generation of Renault's large van. In addition to the range's breadth, the model features extensively revised, robust styling and significantly lower running costs (down 40 per cent), thanks notably to the fuel efficiency of the new M9T engine which is made in Cléon, France. Master is also more driver-friendly, while work has gone into stowage solutions and innovations like pivoting and retractable tables, Carminat TomTom Live navigation and Bluetooth connectivity that make the cabin a genuine office on wheels.
Renault Master Acclaimed By The Experts
In addition to
Master's success with its customers, the model has also been acclaimed by
the trade's professionals:
The Sovab Factory (Société des Véhicules Automobiles de Batilly)
More information on the Renault range is available at www.renault.co.uk, with the latest Renault news on Renault TV on Sky Guide 883 and Freesat 651, or by following on twitter @renault_uk.