French Ministers have hailed yesterday’s (13 March) productivity deal agreed between Renault and most of its unions – even those that refused to sign – as proof of the automaker’s industrial return.

The agreement will see no factory closures and increased volume in exchange for a salary freeze and 7,500 redundancies.

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Renault secured more than 60% workforce approval for its radical restructuring plan, although the influential CGT’s signature was significantly absent, even after nine months of negotiations.

As part of the deal Renault has committed to producing at least 710,000 vehicles in France by 2016, compared with 530,000 vehicles in 2012.

This will take the overall utilisation rate of the facilities in France to more than 85% and will allow business to continue at the company’s French sites until 2016 and up to 2020.

“This agreement marks the industrial return of Renault in France,” said French Economic Redevelopment Minister, Arnaud Montebourg.

“A return in France by the preservation in their entirety of industrial sites in the context of the difficult market that everyone knows. Not only is no factory threatened with closure, there will be no redundancies.

“A return in France by massive investment, EUR1.2bn (US$1.6bn) in total, of which EUR420m for Douai, EUR230m for Sandouville, EUR190m for Dieppe [and] EUR300m for Cleon.”

Montebourg welcomed the “spirit of constructive responsibility” of the unions involved in the marathon talks, even those who were not signatories.

Renault added the level of activity would also benefit all French mechanical component plants producing parts for suspension systems, engines and transmission, as well as logistics platforms.