Renault Group’s plant in Curitiba (Parana state, Brazil) has joined the World Economic Forum’s global network of ‘Lighthouses’, which brings together the leaders in the application of the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution. It is the first automotive industrial site to be recognised in South America with this label, which rewards the plant’s 5,500 employees.
To achieve this, the Curitiba plant has connected the supply chain end to end with customers. Each year 290,000 vehicles are tracked using RFID towards delivery, reducing shipping time by 30% and boosting on time delivery to 95.4%.
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In addition, an online digital sales platform has led to sales of over 10,000 units, sharing real time data on orders with supply and production.
Under process automation, 230 automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and 200 iPads reduced non value added while improving working conditions for employees.
Renault’s manufacturing and supply chain chief Jose Vicente de los Mozos said: “To meet the increasingly specific needs of our customers, new mobility services and the arrival of connected and autonomous vehicles, our plants have been engaged in digital transformation since 2016. We are proud of this new recognition by the World Economic Forum. Our vision of an industry of the human, digital and connected future is now a global reality.”
The group is deploying the same transformation across its manufacturing network, including approximately 73,000 employees in 40 factories and 13 logistics sites in 16 countries. Today, 70 Fourth Industrial Revolution technology projects are under deployment in all sites.
Eric Marchiol, head of Industry 4.0 for both Renault and the Alliance, emphasised strong management support is critical to success in scaling across the production network.
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By GlobalData“To ensure global deployment, the role of our employees is as important as technological innovation. Our managers, inspired by new technology companies, are today proactive in the field of Industry 4.0. Thus, the fourth industrial revolution is underway in our plants, powered by instant data and real-time supply chain monitoring.”
Innovation comes from the shop floor: 80% of projects start from local teams in plants or logistics divisions. Renault’s Cleon and Curitiba plants are at the forefront of this transformation, having launched unique digital projects that have since been scaled to other manufacturing sites.
