Renault is pulling the plug on car production at its largest factory in France. In the coming years, the factory in Flins will be transformed into a facility where everything revolves around sustainability and the circular economy.
The Renault plant in Flins is not only the manufacturer’s largest plant in France, but also its oldest. At the moment it is still building the Zoe and Nissan the Micra. The factory, opened in 1952, began production of the Renault Dauphine. Over the years, well-known models such as the 8, 4, 5, Supercinq, Clio and Twingo were built. The Zoe now appears to be the last model for the time being, because the factory will be transformed in the coming years into a facility where Renault will work on things to make it a more sustainable brand. The manufacturer makes this known in a statement.
In concrete terms, the plans mean that the production of the Zoe (and the Nissan Micra) will be phased out in the coming years, while the factory is prepared for its new tasks. Renault will do several things in Flins. For example, they want to equip used cars with more environmentally friendly powertrains (probably conversions to electric), prepare used battery packs for reuse and also recycle entire cars. Old Renaults are then stripped of usable parts in Flins, which are returned to the market via the second-hand parts supply of the brand. Flins will also become Renault’s knowledge center in the field of sustainability and circular economy. For example, there will be research centers and a training facility.
Although Flins will therefore be given a new task, the local union is certainly not satisfied with the state of affairs. It appears that this step is seen as a skilfully packaged cost saver. After all, Renault announced earlier this year that it will cut back considerably and that there will be many layoffs. “Flins must continue to build new cars, among other activities. We will not accept this. Renault cannot undermine production capacity in France, while it receives state aid,” said union CGT. Automotive News. The factory now employs about 2,500 people. Renault says it wants to have 3,000 people working in Flins by 2030, including current employees.