PSA has resumed production of its Peugeot 308 model at the Sochaux factory in Eastern France after a manual gearbox supply issue halted one line.
Surging sales for PSA’s 308 as well as 3008 variants are at the root cause of the issue, while the situation also arose right on the cusp of France returning from its traditional August-long summer break.
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“They have restarted one line this afternoon [29 August],” a PSA spokesman told just-auto from Paris. “It is linked to the production of gearboxes produced in Valenciennes [North-East France], following strong demand for the 3008 and 308 – we have huge demand.
“Valenciennes is saturated and we have been [were] obliged to stop our 308 line at Sochaux. We [have been continuing] with the 3008. That can happen during the year when there is strong demand – we are very happy with the strong demand.
“Our factories [operate] on a certain level and they are not [overstocked]. There is nominal production and a nominal rhythm – we can accelerate up to a certain point. If strong demand persists we will ask the question how to resize, but today it is not the case.”
PSA is putting its ‘Sochaux 2022’ plan in place to take advantage of new Industry 4.0 techniques, replacing its previous project known as: ‘We are Preparing the Sochaux of Tomorrow’ to improve performance and guarantee jobs.
PSA Group said it would build new vehicles at Sochaux and Mulhouse from 2020/2021.
The production of the new models will “secure medium term manufacturing visibility” for the plants which are currently being modernised.
Mulhouse is rolling out its Mulhouse 2020 transformation project while Sochaux’s 2022 project will have a stamping building.
